Complete Pneumothorax Secondary to a Ruptured Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature.
- 1Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, Mongi Slim University Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, La Marsa, TUN.
- 2Department of Medical Imaging, Mongi Slim University Hospital, Tunis El Manar University, La Marsa, TUN.
Abstract
Pulmonary hydatid disease, caused by Echinococcus granulosus, remains a major public health concern in endemic regions. While simple cysts are often asymptomatic or present with mild respiratory symptoms, cyst rupture into the pleural cavity leading to a complete pneumothorax represents a rare, life-threatening acute complication. A 19-year-old woman with a two-month history of progressive exertional dyspnea presented to the emergency department with acute right-sided chest pain of 48 hours' duration. Physical examination showed no acute respiratory distress, and laboratory tests revealed no systemic inflammatory syndrome. Chest radiography demonstrated a right hilar opacity of water density with a rectilinear air-fluid level, associated with complete right lung collapse consistent with a total pneumothorax. Chest computed tomography (CT) confirmed a cystic lesion containing a partially collapsed membrane, characteristic of a ruptured pulmonary hydatid cyst causing a pneumothorax. Initial management consisted of emergency chest tube thoracostomy and broad-spectrum empirical antibiotic therapy, followed by definitive surgical resection. Ruptured pulmonary hydatid cyst must be systematically included in the differential diagnosis of acute pneumothorax with cavitary or fluid-containing lung opacities in endemic areas. Emergency chest CT and a combined medico-surgical approach are critical for successful management.
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BibTeX
@article{snene2026complete,
title = {{Complete Pneumothorax Secondary to a Ruptured Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature.}},
author = {Houda Snene and Monia Attia and Khaoula Ben Amor and Nadia Mehiri and Bechir Louzir},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.116838},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42927151},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Complete Pneumothorax Secondary to a Ruptured Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature.
AU - Houda Snene
AU - Monia Attia
AU - Khaoula Ben Amor
AU - Nadia Mehiri
AU - Bechir Louzir
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.116838
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42927151
AB - Pulmonary hydatid disease, caused by Echinococcus granulosus, remains a major public health concern in endemic regions. While simple cysts are often asymptomatic or present with mild respiratory symptoms, cyst rupture into the pleural cavity leading to a complete pneumothorax represents a rare, life-threatening acute complication. A 19-year-old woman with a two-month history of progressive exertional dyspnea presented to the emergency department with acute right-sided chest pain of 48 hours' duration. Physical examination showed no acute respiratory distress, and laboratory tests revealed no systemic inflammatory syndrome. Chest radiography demonstrated a right hilar opacity of water density with a rectilinear air-fluid level, associated with complete right lung collapse consistent with a total pneumothorax. Chest computed tomography (CT) confirmed a cystic lesion containing a partially collapsed membrane, characteristic of a ruptured pulmonary hydatid cyst causing a pneumothorax. Initial management consisted of emergency chest tube thoracostomy and broad-spectrum empirical antibiotic therapy, followed by definitive surgical resection. Ruptured pulmonary hydatid cyst must be systematically included in the differential diagnosis of acute pneumothorax with cavitary or fluid-containing lung opacities in endemic areas. Emergency chest CT and a combined medico-surgical approach are critical for successful management.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -