Abstract:
‘Hydatid’ originates from the Greek word meaning ‘watery vesicle’. It refers to a cyst formed
as a result of infestation by larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, endemic to sheepraising
areas of the world. Humans are an accidental intermediary host, with lungs and liver
most commonly affected. Hydatid involvement of the spine accounts for less than 1% of the
total cases of hydatid disease and isolated extradural involvement is even rarer. We report a
case of extradural hydatid cyst involving a boy of 5 years.
