[Disseminated peritoneal hydatidosis manifested as intestinal ischaemia].

BACKGROUND: The hydatid disease, or echinococcosis, is endemic in Mediterranean countries, as well as in Australia, Asia, Africa, South America, and Canada. Among its complications is intraperitoneal rupture, a rare form of presentation, with highly variable symptoms. The treatment of choice is surgery plus adjuvant medical treatment in most patients.

OBJECTIVE: A case is presented of a patient with disseminated peritoneal hydatidosis manifested as intestinal ischaemia.

CLINICAL CASE: A 50-year-old male was admitted to the emergency room with a history of chronic abdominal pain that worsened in the last 24hours. He showed signs of sepsis in the physical examination and was subjected to surgery, in which intestinal ischaemia was found due to a disseminated peritoneal cystic disease, which had led to mesentery retraction. An intestinal resection with an end-ileostomy was performed. The results of the biopsy of the cystic lesions was disseminated peritoneal echinococcosis. Medical treatment was started with albendazole and praziquantel.

CONCLUSION: This case shows a rare presentation of disseminated peritoneal hydatidosis, which led to intestinal ischaemia.