Surgical treatment of pulmonary hydatid cysts: is capitonnage necessary?

Background. Hydatid disease of the lung caused by Echinococcus granulosus is frequently encountered in Mediterranean countries. The ideal surgical method for treating this disease is still unknown. Methods. Between 1994 and 2001, 71 patients with pulmonary hydatid cysts were treated surgically. There were 41 male and 30 female patients with a mean age of 30.2 years (range, 5 to 70 years). Cystotomy and closure of bronchial openings were performed in all patients. Obliteration of the residual cavity by imbricating sutures from within (capitonnage) was achieved in 39 patients (group 1). There were 34 patients with intact cysts and 37 patients with at least one complicated cyst. The average diameter of the cysts was 6.4 cm, and the mean number of cysts per patient was 1.4. The surgical outcome was assessed in group 1 patients and in patients who had undergone closure of bronchial openings without capitonnage (group 2; N = 32). The groups were comparable in regard to clinical characteristics. Results. There was no mortality. The total hospitalization time (mean ± standard error of the mean) was 5.0 ± 5.0 days for group 1 and 5.9 ± 6.9 days for group 2 (p = 0.91). Stay in the intensive care unit was 1.64 ± 1.22 days in group 1 and 1.60 ± 1.52 days in group 2 (p = 0.90). The duration of air leak was 2.56 ± 4.73 days in group 1 and 2.38 ± 4.74 days in group 2 (p = 0.87). There was no significant difference between groups in the development of empyema (1 patient in group 2 only) and prolonged air leak (5 patients in group 1 and 4 in group 2). There was also no significant difference in the rate of recurrence (3 patients in group 1 only). Conclusions. We conclude that capitonnage provides no advantage in operations for pulmonary hydatid cysts.