To evaluate the application value of emergent laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of rupture of hepatic cystic echinococcosis in children.

Clinical data of 9 children with rupture of hepatic cystic echinococcosis admitted to People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from January 2013 to September 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 6 children were male and 3 female, aged 4.0-10.0 years, with a median age of 7.5 years. The informed consents of the patients and/or family members were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. Allergic reaction and anaphylactic shock occurred in 9 cases. Emergent laparoscopic surgery was performed to clean and irrigate the abdominal cavity and capsular cavity, and internal capsular removal, partial external capsular resection and residual cavity treatments were performed. Albendazole was administered orally after operation to prevent the recurrence of hydatid disease. Intraoperative conditions and postoperative prognosis of patients were observed.

All patients successfully completed laparoscopic surgery, with an average operation time of (70±32) min and intraoperative blood loss of (6±3) ml. No surgical death was reported and no abdominal abscess occurred after operation. Postoperative bile leakage occurred in 2 cases, 1 of them was cured after anti-inflammatory treatment for 5 d and the other case healed after 2 weeks of residual cavity drainage. Patients were followed up for 3-15 months. No recurrence of hydatid disease was observed in the abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity and liver.

Emergent laparoscopic surgery is safe, effective and feasible for the rupture of hepatic cystic echinococcosis in children, which has advantages of clear surgical field, mild trauma, rapid postoperative recovery and short length of hospital stay.