title: Benign cystic ovarian teratoma with a fistula into the small and large bowel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ovarian dermoid cysts are one of the most common benign neoplasms in women. Rarely, serious complications occur that result in life-threatening events such as bowel perforation. This case summarizes one of these complications from clinical presentation to diagnosis and treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 25-year-old woman with symptoms of small bowel obstruction was found to have a 10-cm dermoid cyst perforating into both her small and large bowel. A primary large bowel repair and small bowel resection with en bloc left salpingo-oophorectomy and small bowel side-to-side reanastomosis was performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case illustrates the rare formation of a fistula between a dermoid cyst and the small and large bowel. Awareness of the clinical and radiologic findings in these cases is important to avoid further complications.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Astrid R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: von-Walter
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Nelken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000601:surgery*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery