Freely Lying Intraperitoneal Hydatid Cyst in a Child: A Rare Pediatric Surgical Encounter with Literature Review

A BSTRACT Hydatid disease is an important public health problem that most commonly affects the liver and lungs. We describe a 15-year-old boy who presented with a large abdominopelvic mass that was eventually diagnosed as a freely lying intraperitoneal hydatid cyst. This case highlights the diagnostic difficulty of such unusual presentations in children, the importance of intraoperative vigilance, and the role of intact excision with postoperative antiparasitic therapy.