title: In utero decompression of a cystic grade IV sacrococcygeal teratoma.
abstract: Sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCT) are the most common congenital tumors in the newborn. The prevalence rate is approximately 1 per 40,000 births, with 80% occurring in females. The majority of these tumors are external, protruding from the perineal region. Intrapelvic SCTs, by contrast, are extremely rare and difficult to diagnose in utero. Only 15% of the SCTs are entirely cystic, the majority being mixed or solid tumors. We describe a case of a fetal cystic presacral (grade IV) SCT, discovered at 22 weeks of gestation, which resulted in bilateral ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis. This is the first known reported case of prenatally decompressing a cystic SCT via an amniotic catheter to alleviate a mass effect in the fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn., USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bruner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003664:Decompression; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006869:Hydronephrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D013724:Teratoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery