Ovarian teratoma with gliomatosis peritonei: report of two cases

Gliomatosis peritonei, a rare condition related to ovarian teratomas, involves the peritoneal implantation of numerous nodules of predominantly mature glial tissues. We report herein the cases of two patients with immature ovarian teratoma associated with gliomatosis peritonei, in one of whom a rapid progression of teratomatous implants occurred 14 weeks after her initial surgery. Gliomatosis peritonei is considered benign in most cases; however, some reports have documented the rapid recurrence of immature peritoneal implants, as implantation is associated with teratomas of all grades. Thus, in the face of peritoneal implants suspected to be of a teratomatous nature, thorough and extensive sampling is essential to exclude the presence of immature elements which may imply a poor prognosis and require aggressive therapy.