Mature teratoma presenting as a scalp mass in a newborn

Neonatal teratomas are rarely located in the scalp. We present a 10-day-old female newborn with mature teratoma of the occipital scalp. The tumor mass, which had no intracranial extension, was excised completely when the patient was 14 days old. The scalp defect was reconstructed with local flaps. No recurrence was detected 3 months after the surgery. Because the patient did not return for routine follow-up 6 months after surgery, we called the parents and learned that the patient had suddenly died. A necropsy to explain the cause of death was not available.