Study of Hypertonic Saline Effect on the Hydatid Scolex under In-vivo Condition - Abstract
Hydatid cyst is a parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus. New methods to treat hydatid
cyst have been suggested recently. Echinococcosis may infect multiple organs such as liver and lungs. Surgical treatment is usually used to treat large cysts that respond poorly to the medical management. Cyst content spillage is inevitable during cyst cavity drainage or cyst wall removal. Various measures are preferred by surgeons in order to prevent abdominal contamination.
24 patients entered this study according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria. During the surgery, 4 samples were taken: one sample taken from the right subdiaphragmatic space after being washed with normal saline in the beginning, next sample drown directly from the cyst through a needle, third one taken from the cyst cavity after being exposed to impregnated gauzes of hypertonic saline, and the last one aspirated from the right sub-diaphragmatic space after being washed with normal saline before closing the incision.
Only one patient’s first sample had a positive result (live scolex). 45% of the second samples were positive. None of the third samples showed a positive result. In the final analysis, 96% of the fourth samples were negative. This survey demonstrated that 20% hypertonic saline has high efficacy in destroying live scoleces in the cystic cavity.