Neonatal sacrococcygeal teratoma: our experience with 10 cases

To analyse the outcome of neonatal sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCT) in our setup.

Hospital records of 10 neonates, who were operated for SCT during 14 years time period, were retrieved and analysed. Letters were sent to 6 parents/ caretakers of children who were lost to follow up; none of them responded.

Seven girls and 3 boys with a mean age of 9 days (range 1-30 days) underwent excision of SCT in the neonatal period. Antenatal pickup rates were poor (2/10). Two patients presented with tumor rupture. Though all had an obvious mass at birth, only half of them presented on day 1 of life. The remaining 5 patients came late at a mean age of 11 days. Half of the SCTs were 10 cm or larger in size. One patient was misdiagnosed as meningomyelocoele. All underwent complete excision with coccygectomy by posterior approach in prone position. There were only 2 patients who could be classified as Altman Type II, the rest were all Altman Type I. Histopathology (HPE) revealed mature cystic teratoma (n=8), grade 1 immature teratoma (n=1) and grade 3 immature teratoma (n=1). There was no mortality; and complications were seen in 3/10 patients (1 neurogenic bladder, 1 major wound infection with ventriculitis and 1 minor wound infection). The mean follow up was 25 months (range 1 month to 6 years) in 4 patients with no recurrence.

Neonatal SCTs are usually benign with a good outcome after complete surgical excision with a low complication rate. Although long term follow up has been advocated, the follow up was poor in this series.