Abstract

To analyze the clinical profile and management of Hydatid disease of liver in a tertiary care centre in Northern India.
Material & Methods: This study was a retrospective, descriptive analysis of patients with HCL conducted at Department of surgery, Government medical college, a tertiary care center in Jammu. Cases with the diagnosis of a hydatid cyst were identified at the department of surgery. The patients who had extrahepatic hydatid cysts without any involvement of the liver were excluded from the study. Out of 75 medical records screened, 55 were of the patients with HCL and were included for analysis. USG and CT scan, either alone or in combination, were performed to identify and evaluate the presence of hydatid cysts in the hepatic and extrahepatic locations. The USG and CT appearance of HCL was classified based on the WHO classification system, which categorizes the cysts based on type.
Results: The median duration of presentation to the hospital after the onset of symptoms was 73 days. Most of the patients presented with a complaint of abdominal pain (90.9%). 40 patients (72.7%) had a single hepatic hydatid cyst, whereas 15 patients (27.2%) had multiple hepatic hydatid cysts. The laparoscopic procedure was used in 23.6 % (13) of those cases, whereas the rest underwent open surgical intervention.
Conclusion: This study's findings on HCL's demographics, clinical characteristics, and therapeutics can be used to plan the clinical and societal response to the illness. It is essential to raise awareness of the disease and make sure USG facilities are accessible across the nation.