title: Large fetal sacrococcygeal teratomas: could early delivery improve outcome?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if gestational age (GA) at delivery or tumor size impacts outcome in neonates with very large sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review from 1990 to 2006 of live-born infants with very large SCTs, defined as diameters exceeding 10 cm. Data analyzed using the independent t test and Fisher's exact test, with p values <0.05 considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine infants with very large SCTs were identified. Six of the 9 infants survived, 4 of whom had evidence of early hydrops. Mean GA of survivors was 32.2 +/- 3.7 versus 31.7 +/- 0.6 weeks in nonsurvivors (p = 0.85). Infants with the largest SCTs did not survive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risks of preterm delivery must be weighed against complications from further enlargement of very large SCTs and against the risks of in utero intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. cholcroft@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Cynthia J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Holcroft
authors.forename: Karin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Blakemore
authors.forename: Edith D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Gurewitsch
authors.forename: Rita W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Driggers
authors.forename: Frances J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Northington
authors.forename: Anne C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D013724:Teratoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal