Heterogeneity In Cystic Echinococcosis Management Among Spanish Centers: Results From A National Survey

The aim of the study was to evaluate the availability of different procedures, diagnostic tests, and treatments, as well as the procedures and techniques used in the management of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in Spain. This was a cross-sectional study performed from September to December 2018 in Spain. A survey directed to CE-treating clinicians was conducted to collect information regarding the center characteristics and the different protocols of management followed. Thirty-nine centers among 76 contacted centers participated in the survey, most of them belonging to the public health system and attending both adult and children. The median number of patients with CE attended during the last three years per center was 15. Percutaneous techniques were used only in seven centers, and surgery was the most frequently used therapeutic approach. Drugs and duration of treatment (both when administered exclusively or when combined with surgery/puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration) were very variable depending on the centers. There is a high variability in the management of CE among Spanish centers. These results stress the importance of promoting the diffusion of existing knowledge, adapting the WHO recommendations to our setting, and referring patients to referral centers at a national level.