[Congenital dermal sinus tract of recurrent pyrexia: case report]

The authors present a case of congenital dermal sinus tract with epidermoid tumor. This 1-year-old boy was referred to the pediatric service of another hospital with recurrent pyrexia of unknown origin in April, 1999. The pediatrician found two dimples, pigmentation, and coarse hairs on the midline in his sacral region. Computerized tomography (CT) scans revealed a spina bifida below the S1 level. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed a dermal sinus tract in the cranial direction to a cystic tumor at L2-4 levels. He was transferred to our hospital, and the tract and tumor were totally removed in June, 1999. The histological findings and Escherichia coli in the smear culture of the tumor contents identified it as an infected congenital dermal sinus tract with epidermoid tumor. The patient received antibiotics for two weeks after surgery and there was no clinical or radiographic recurrence of either infection or tumor. The authors propose early diagnosis and radical treatment, because infected congenital dermal sinus tract often leads to a bad neurological prognosis.