Laparoscopic Management of Hydatid Liver Disease in Children: A Retrospective Review at Qazi Hussain Ahmed Medical Complex, Nowshera (2019–2024)

Abstract

Objective: This study reviews the outcomes of laparoscopic management of pediatric Hydatid liver disease (HLD) at Qazi Hussain Ahmed Medical Complex over five years.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted for pediatric patients treated between June 2019 and June 2024 in our hospital. A total of 28 children (10 females and 18 males; mean age 9.12 ± 2.8 years) were included in this study. Data collected over these five years incorporated demographics, cyst characteristics, surgical methods, operative time, hospital stay duration, postoperative complications, and recurrence rates. Statistical analysis was executed using SPSS version 26.

Results: The majority of cysts (64.3%) were found in the right hepatic lobe, with the remainder (35.7%) in the left lobe. The average cyst size was 7.33 ± 1.8 cm. Mean operative time was 85.2 ± 12.4 minutes, and the average hospital stay was 3.71 ± 1.2 days. Minor bile leakage occurred in 10.7% of cases but was treated conservatively. No major intraoperative complications or mortality were reported in our study. Recurrence was identified in 7.1% of patients over an 18-month follow-up period.

Conclusion: Laparoscopic surgery provides a reliable and efficient alternative to conventional open surgical methods for the management of pediatric HLD. It provides added benefits such as shorter hospital stays, lower morbidity, and improved cosmetic results. However, its wider application in the developing world continues to be limited by a lack of resources and late disease manifestation.