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Objectives: Hydatid disease, a parasitic infestation caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus, is diagnosed commonly in the east and south-east regions of Turkey. The aim of this study is to emphasize the relatively frequent occurrences of echinococcosis in our region, and to discuss therapeutic options and treatment results according to current literature. Methods: A retrospective 10-year review of nine different clinics' records of the Research Hospital of the Medical School of Yüzüncü Yıl University revealed 372 hydatid disease cases that were localized in various organs and treated surgically (271 cases) or drained percutaneously (99 cases). Hydatid disease was diagnosed by ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography scans (CT) and confirmed histopathologically. Results: The involved organ was lung in 203 cases (131 adults, 72 children), liver in 150, spleen in 9, brain in 2, kidneys in 7 cases and the retrovesical area in 1 case. The urogenital system is involved at a rate of 2.15%. Two hundred and seventy-one cases were treated surgically and 99 percutaneously. Two cases with renal hydatid cyst refused the surgical procedure (one had a solitary kidney with hydatid cyst). Albendazole was administered to 192 patients; 93 patients had open surgical procedure and 99 patients underwent percutaneous procedure. Cysts were excised totally in the open surgical procedure; however, involved kidneys were removed totally (four cases) except one. Cystectomy and omentoplasty was performed in one case. Complications were as follows: in six cases, cystic material was spilled into the bronchial cavity during the dissection and a renal hydatid cyst ruptured and spilled retroperitoneally. Conclusion: Hydatid disease is a serious health problem in Turkey. The mainly affected organs are liver and lung. It can be treated surgical or by percutaneous aspiration.

After left internal mammary artery graft is anastomosed to the coronary artery, atherosclerotic occlusion of subclavian artery becomes more important, because the vascular segment between the origin of the subclavian artery and the coronary artery becomes a part of the coronary circulation functionally. The subclavian artery occlusion may be treated through percutaneous intervention including balloon angioplasty alone or with stent. But failure of initial treatment by percutaneous intervention is possible especially in some proximal and total occlusions. In those cases, surgical options include extraanatomic reconstruction, anatomic reconstruction with transthoracic approach or redo-coronary artery surgery in patients with coronary steal syndrome. In this retrospective study, the medical records of 66 patients underwent carotid-subclavian bypass under general or local anesthesia between January, 1990 and January, 2003 were reviewed to analyze the early and long-term results of carotidsubclavian bypass with polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. There were no intraoperative mortalities. There were only one peroperative cerebrovascular accident and one death due to myocardial ischemia early in the post-operative period. Over a mean follow up of 96 months (6 month-144 months), thirteen patients died due to various reasons and there were eleven late graft thrombosis. The primary patency rates at 1, 3, 5 and 10 years were 98%, 91%, 83% and 47%, and the overall survival rates at 1, 3, 5 and 10 years were 100%, 95%, 93% and 38%, respectively. Carotid-subclavian bypass with polytetrafluoroethylene grafts is a safe, effective and durable procedure. It can be easily applied even under regional anesthesia when percutaneous intervention is unsuccessful or impossible.carotid; subclavian; coronary artery; bypass

Complications of total thyroidectomy can be minimized with increasing experience and the refinement of surgical technique.

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