Immature congenital teratoma of the neck: a very rare entity

Abstract

Congenital teratoma is a very rare tumor, affecting the neck in 3% of all cases.The diagnosis should be performed in antenatal by ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The risk of neonatal respiratory distress is very important. We present a rare case of immature cervical teratoma revealed by antenatal ultrasonography with total excision and cure. A 22-year-old woman, G1P1, who came from a rural area, was admitted to our obstetrics department for delivery. She had no document of pregnancy follow-up. The ultrasound exam showing a live fetus at term with voluminous cervical mass. After consultation with the neonatal resuscitation team, a caesarean section was performed. The infant underwent surgical excision at 25 days of life with complete healing. The histological report was confirmed the diagnosis of immature cervical teratoma free of malignant elements. A multidisciplinary management is necessary to avoid complications related to compression, but also to reduce the risk of cancer.

Keywords

• antenatal diagnosis
• congenital teratoma
• neck
• surgery