Lumbar fetiform teratoma; a case report.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Developmental Biology
• Pathology

Background:

• Fetiform teratoma is a rare, highly differentiated mature teratoma with organoid structures.
• It is often mistaken for fetus in fetu, with the absence of an axial skeleton being a key differentiator.

Observation:

• A 6-month-old female infant presented with a lumbar mass.
• Imaging revealed a sac-like structure containing bowel segments, mesentery, and lymph nodes.

Findings:

• Surgical excision of the lumbar mass was performed.
• The mass was confirmed as a fetiform teratoma, a rare entity, particularly in this location.

Implications:

• This case expands the known clinical presentations of fetiform teratoma.
• Accurate differentiation from fetus in fetu is crucial for appropriate diagnosis and management.