[52-year-old patient with subcutaneous space-occupying lesion in immunosuppression]

Internist (Berl). 2003 Jun;44(6):740-5. doi: 10.1007/s00108-003-0862-3.
[Article in German]

Abstract

We report the case of a 52-years-old male patient, who was diagnosed with subcutaneous alveolar echinococcosis 6 months after liver transplantation for HCV-related cirrhosis. Nether the explanted nor the transplantated liver revealed an echinococcus focus. Therefore a rare primary extrahepatic manifestation was likely. Interestingly, the echinococcal larvae had developed protoscolices. The development of mature tapeworms in human is a rarity, which could be related to the immunosuppressive therapy after liver transplantation. The patient was curatively treated by surgical removal of the subcutaneous tumor and a postoperative therapy with albendazole. Furthermore, HCV reinfection (genotype 2b) was successfully treated with interferone alpha 2b and ribavirine for 6 months.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy
  • Breast / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms, Male / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms, Male / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / surgery*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Echinococcosis / diagnosis*
  • Echinococcosis / pathology
  • Fibrocystic Breast Disease / diagnosis*
  • Fibrocystic Breast Disease / pathology
  • Hepatic Encephalopathy / surgery*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / diagnosis
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Cirrhosis / diagnosis
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis*
  • Postoperative Complications / pathology
  • Recurrence
  • Subcutaneous Tissue* / pathology