Spontaneously Ruptured Hydatid Liver Cyst with a Presumptive Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis

A 14-year-old female patient with abdominal pain diagnosed as acute abdomen was operated on; a perforated hydatid cyst was found. Hydatid cysts are endemic in Turkey, especially in the eastern and southeastern regions. The liver is the most common location. Ultrasonography and computed tomography can be used in the diagnosis hydatid cysts. Spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of a hydatid cyst is rare, but it can cause severe anaphylactic reactions and biliary peritonitis. Very few cases have been reported. Though rare, a ruptured hydatid cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen in a patient residing in the endemic zone.