[Primary vertebral hydatidosis. Case report and brief review of the literature].

The authors report a case of primary spinal hydatid cyst. A primary vertebral involvement occurs in about 1% of cases of Echinococcus granulosus infestations. In Italy only 23 cases have been reported to date. The diagnosis of spinal hydatidosis is often available only at the time of surgery because this disease has not specific characteristics as regards other more common causes of spinal cord compression. Surgery is mandatory but the wide bone infiltration makes difficult the radical excision and subsequently there is a high incidence of recurrences.