Primary hydatid cyst of pancreas with acute pancreatitis

Context: Primary hydatid disease of the pancreas is very rare and even rarer to cause pancreatitis. Case report: We report the case of a 20-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain and an epigastric mass. A diagnosis of a pancreatic hydatid cyst was established by ultrasonography and CT scan before surgery. The treatment consisted of laparoscopic cyst evacuation with omentoplasty. The recovery was uneventful and the patient has remained symptom free so far. Conclusions: Hydatid disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all cystic masses in the pancreas, especially in the geographical regions where the disease is endemic. (C) 2011 Surgical Associates Ltd. Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.