EFFECT OF AIBENDAZOLE ON HUMAN HYDATID CYST: REPORT OF 10 CASES

Introduction: Operation is the most common treatment for hydatid cysts. However, operation would be useless in some patients with diffuse organ involvement, special anatomic spaces or poor general conditions. So, drug therapy is considered in some studies. Albendazole is a benzimidazole derivation can gain high plasma level. It absorbed quickly after oral intake and most of it metabolized to Sulfoxide. Methods: Ten randomly selected patients with 39 hydatid cysts in different organs were treated by albendazole. Patients received 10-15 mg/kg/day of albendazole in two different divided doses for 1-4 periods of 30 days duration. Periodic clinical and paraclinical examinations were done. The cysts were in the liver, lung, spleen, peritoneum, pelvis, pericardium and chest wall. Results: Except for one cyst in lung and two in abdomen which therapeutic results have not clarified, all of the cysts died. Drug systemic side effects were negligible. Patients had good tolerance to it. Local complication such as inflamation, tenderness and rupture of cyst were the main side effects. Discussion: It is recommende to pay more attention to drug therapy in management of hydatid cyst. It is helpful for complicated cases that we cant operate them.