Echinococcal disease of the urinary tract: review of the management of 7 cases.

Seven cases of hydatid disease of the urinary tract are discussed. In 6 patients the hydatid cyst was located in the kidney (1 involved the descending colon and 1 coexisted with a renal calculus) and in 1 the cyst was located in the right paravesical region. Surgical treatment included nephrectomy in 2 patients, nephrectomy and evacuation of the cyst in 1, enucleation of the cyst in 2, evacuation of the cyst and pyelolithotomy in 1, and excision of the cyst and ureteral segment, followed by ureterovesical anastomosis in 1. Despite its rarity, hydatid disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of space-occupying lesions of the urinary tract.