Splenic Hydatid Cysts Treated by Partial Splenectomy: Case Series and Literature Review

Purpose: Hydatic cysts (HC) rarely occur primarily in the spleen. Partial splenectomy (PS) is an established procedure for preserving spleen parenchyma, but rarely used in the treatment of HC. We aim to present our experience with PS for HC and to review the literature of splenic HC treated by PS. Material and Methods: The databases of PS performed between 2000 and 2023 in the Department of General Surgery of Fundeni Clinical Institute (Bucharest) for HC have been reviewed retrospectively. Searching the PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar databases for keywords such as "partial splenectomy", "splenic hydatid cyst" etc, we retrieved publications from 2000 to December 2023 in English for a literature review. We excluded studies which were not published in English and studies which did not provide accurate or specific data regarding the treatment of splenic HC by PS. Results: There were 10 PS for HC. Six females and 4 males, ages between 16 and 41 (31 & Atilde;+-8.43), 9 with HC in the upper splenic pole (UP) treated by PS with lower pole (LP) preservation and one inferior pole HC treated by LP PS. There were 4 open, 2 laparoscopic and 4 robotic PS. There were no complications or recurrences at follow up (2 years). The literature review consists of 14 full-text articles, presenting 42 PS for HC. Conclusion: PS for HC is feasible, achieves complete removal of the cyst, while preserving splenic function. The procedure can be performed laparoscopically or robotically with the advantages of minimally invasive surgery.