Is Bilateral Staged Muscle-Sparing Thoracotomy Performed within 1 Week for Lung Hydatid Cysts Safe for Pediatric Patients?

OBJECTIVES: Median sternotomy or staged thoracotomies are generally the preferred surgical treatment options for bilateral lung hydatid cysts. According to literature, it is usually recommended to wait from 3 weeks to 3 months between bilateral staged thoracotomies. The aim of this study is to compare postoperative complications, hospitalization days and morbidity and mortality ratios between unilateral thoracotomy and bilateral staged thoracotomy groups and to evaluate the safety of performing bilateral staged thoracotomy within 1 week for lung hydatid cysts in pediatric patients