Infected primary retroperitoneal teratoma presenting as a subhepatic abscess in a postpartum woman

It is highly unusual for a 20-cm retroperitoneal teratoma to present as a subhepatic abscess with septic shock in a postpartum woman. We present a case of a multilocular cystic teratoma densely adherent to adjacent viscera and vessels. Because of the complexity of the case and the clinical condition of the patient, a 2-stage operation was employed for this special case. An initial emergency drainage effectively relieved symptoms of acute infection and facilitated the 2nd-stage resection of the tumor.