Case Report: A Giant Epignathus with a Well-Developed Skeleton of Head and Neck

Epignathus is an extremely rare teratoma found in the oral cavity or oropharyngeal region of newborns, whose pathogenesis is poorly understood. We describe a giant epignathus arising from the oropharynx in a newborn. The giant tumor completely obstructed the airway of the newborn resulting in death. Histological and radiological examination of the tumor reveals the presence of a remarkably well-developed skeleton of the head and neck. A row of teeth, the axis and atlas, thyroid and salivary glands, trachea, and cerebral tissue are all detected within the tumor. These findings suggest that the epignathus is fetus-in-fetu which is considered a type 0 germ cell tumor in accordance with current literature.