Ten years' experience in the management of cervical teratomas

Five patients with cervical teratoma were seen between 1982 and 1992 in the Maternity and Children's Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All presented with a cervical mass at birth. Their weights ranged between 2.6 and 3.5 kg (average 3.1 kg); all were full-term babies, three girls and two boys. Three cases were diagnosed antenatally; three had a history of maternal hydramnios; three presented with severe respiratory distress at birth and needed endotracheal intubation. All patients underwent surgical treatment except one who died before surgical intervention because of severe respiratory distress. Surgery included complete resection of the tumor. The postoperative courses were uneventful. The histopathology of the tumor showed tissue from all three germ layers. Over 3-11 years of follow-up, none of the patients showed signs of recurrence. Postoperative thyroid function tests and serum alpha-fetoprotein showed no abnormalities. We conclude that antenatal diagnosis help to reduce the morbidity and mortality due to upper airway obstruction. Surgery is safe and represents the only way of treating this tumor.