Re: I read one of the articles.. Edit

Yes, actually you missed something pretty important here. The medline link didn't open up, but here's what it says..even continuing albendazole for 3 months (prior to surgery), viable cysts may still be identified, and following surgery, treatment should be continued for another month. They are talking about liver cysts. By the way, they can be the size of an orange.

>>We concluded that in treatment of hydatid cyst, albendazole should be continued at least for 3 months preoperatively and if still viable scoleces are identified, medical treatment should follow the surgical intervention at least for 1 month to decrease the possibility of residual cysts and recurrence.>>

The decaying remains of cysts/ parasites in a closed cavity, like the brain- will NOT go through the liver and won't be eliminated through the bowel. It turns into a bacterial banquet.

>>Removal of the solid elements of the parasite, that is, the laminated and the germinative membranes, is essential in achieving cure for any given cyst. The laminated membrane, if left behind, is a nonabsorbable foreign body and hence a nidus for bacterial infection. The germinative layer, as the name implies, harbors innumerable viable scoleces. Drainage or needle aspiration of the fluid contents of lever hydatid cysts will decompress the high internal pressure of large viable cysts, the real reason why such cysts become symptomatic. This is only a temporizing measure, however, as liberated scoleces will, in the ling run, recreate another cyst, this time a multivesicular one. A single viable scolex, left behind, is potentially capable of multiplying by asexual reproduction into millions of new microscopic scoleces

oral Albendazole or Mebendazole therapy will control 50%

For complicated liver hydatids, always symptomatic because they have ruptured into the biliary system with resulting obstructive jaundice, or because they have become secondarily infected, there is no alternative to open operative intervention under full visual control>> Tweet