Elisabeth Goldenitsch, Felix Machacek and Peter Ritschl
Cystic echinococcosis or hydatid disease is a rare zoonosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus. The most frequently affected organs are the lung and liver, whereas solitary involvement of muscles and skin (2,2%) or bone (0,6%) is very uncommon. We report two cases of solitary hydatid disease of the extremities mimicking soft tissue sarcoma of the gluteal region in case 1 and infection of the lateral thigh involving the greater trochanter in case 2. Both patients were treated successfully by surgical intervention and perioperative anthelmintic drugs. Solitary hydatid disease adds to the broad spectrum of differential diagnoses in examining soft tissue masses
