Long-term albendazole treatment in one case of alveolar echinococcosis -: Case report

Aims : Curative therapy of alveolar echinococcosis is total surgical removal of the infected tissue and concomitant chemotherapy. However, this curative resection can be done on a limited number of patients, for the remaining ones various palliative procedures can be performed. Method : In this article it is aimed to present the result of long-term albendazole treatment in patient who had a palliative hepatojejunostomy for obstructive jaundice due to unresectable alveolar echinococcosis. Results : Systemic albendazole treatment was initiated in this patient after palliative hepatojejunostomy procedure. During follow up there was no abnormality in blood chemistry and a considerable regression in size of the lesion was found in postoperative month 24. Residual hepatic lesion was histopathologically documented and showed apparently non-viable parasitic cysts by biopsy. These findings suggest the long-term albendazole therapy being parasitocidal. Conclusions : Palliative or mass reduction surgery combined with long-term albendazole therapy is the standard therapy for advanced disease, especially when curative resection might result in significant morbidity and mortality.