OBJECTIVES: Hydatidosis is an infectious widespread disease caused by Echinococcus granulsus. The involvement may be single, multiple or combined in different organs especially in the liver and lungs. The surgical excision is still the treatment of choice through thoracotomy, laparotomy, thoraco-abdominal and sternotomy. The aim of this study was to introduce a new surgical approach for pulmonary hydatid cysts using video assisted thoracoscopic surgical methods. METHODS: 88 patients (age range 6-74 years) underwent surgery for single pulmonary hydatid cysts from 1996-1999. 40 were females and 48 were males. 33 had an intact cyst, 33 had a ruptured cyst to the bronchus, 7 had rupture to the pleural cavity and 15 had an infected cyst. All patients underwent a minithoracotomy with video-assisted thoracoscopy.