Background: The aim of this study was to compare postoperative outcome and long-term results after management of liver hydatid cysts (LHC) by subadventitial cystectomy (SC) and resection of the protruding dome (RPD) in two tertiary liver surgery centers.
Methods: Medical records of 52 patients who underwent SC in one center, and 27 patients who underwent RPD in another center between 1991 and 2011 were reviewed. Patients underwent long-term follow-up, including serology tests and morphological examinations.
Results: Postoperative mortality was nil. The rate of severe morbidity was 7.7 and 22% (p = 0.082), while the rate of serological clearing-up was 20 and 13.3% after SC and RPD, respectively (p = 1.000). After a mean follow-up of 41 months (1-197), four patients developed a long-term cavity-related complication (LTCRC) after RPD (including one recurrence) and none after SC (p = 0.012). All LTCRCs occurred in patients with hydatid cysts located at the liver dome; three required an invasive procedure by either puncture aspiration injection re-aspiration (N = 1) or repeat surgery (N = 2).
Conclusions: RPD exposes to specific LTCRC, especially when hydatid cysts are located at the liver dome, while SC allows ad integrum restoration of the operated liver. Therefore, SC should be considered as the standard surgical treatment for LHC in experienced hepato-pancreato-biliary centers.