Pericardial Teratoma: Prenatal Diagnosis and Course

Abstract

We report on a case of primary pericardial teratoma detected in a 29-week-old fetus. Due to cardiac decompensation, pericardiocentesis was performed at 33 weeks of gestation, and surgical excision of the tumor was indicated shortly after birth. The present report draws attention to the impact of fetal echocardiography on perinatal management.

Massive pericardial effusion due to intrapericardial mixed germ cell tumor in a premature baby

“…5 Differential diagnosis of fetal thoracic mass includes a variety of cardiac tumors such as fibroma, hemangioma, rhabdomyoma and teratoma. 6 Teratomas are usually multicystic and are mostly located anteriorly, to the right side of the heart. Due to this location they can cause compression on the cardiac chambers and great vessels, often resulting in respiratory distress or chest pain.…”

Prise en charge prénatale d’un tératome péricardique par drainage péricardio-amniotique : présentation d’un cas

“…La thérapie prénatale la plus fréquemment retrouvée pour les formes symptomatiques (anasarque et suspicion de tamponnade cardiaque) reste la péricardiocentèse qui peut être unique ou répétée [14][15][16]24,27,28,[33][34][35]. Deux cas de thoracocentèse pour épanchement pleural important avec ou sans péricardiocen-tèse associée ont été rapportés [22,30].…”

Neonatal intrapericardial teratoma: a challenge for the pediatric surgeon

“…Teratomas are the most common perinatal tumors, with a yearly incidence of approximately 1 in 40.000 live births [1,4,5]. They are embryonal tumors consisting of multiple tissue types, which arise from at least 2 of the 3 germ layers at an early stage of development.…”

“…Because of the specific clinical features of the lesion, definitive diagnosis may be obtained only with hystologic examination. Nowadays, prenatal diagnosis and early treatment of pericardial teratomas are increasingly possible [1,2,4,7]. This report describes a case of intrapericardial teratoma complicating a singleton pregnancy.…”

“…Less than 20 cases in alive newborns have been described in the last 15 years [2,[4][5][6]. Because of the specific clinical features of the lesion, definitive diagnosis may be obtained only with hystologic examination.…”