Hydatid cyst of the kidney: 8 cases.

The clinical features, investigations and treatment of 8 patients with renal hydatid diseases are presented. It is stressed that this condition is a rare differential diagnosis of space-occupying kidney lesions and diagnosis depends mainly upon radiological evaluation. Of the laboratory tests that suggested infestation eosinophilia was the most reliable. When partial nephrectomy was carried out or when there was the danger of rupture of the cyst during the operation, preliminary instillation of 2% formalin into the cyst was always done.