Sacrococcygeal Teratoma: Results of a Retrospective Multicentric Study in Belgium and Luxembourg

Abstract

Eighteen patients, operated upon for sacrococcygeal teratoma in 7 different centres in Belgium and Luxembourg between 1992 and 1996, were reviewed. From an epidemiological point of view, this series compares very well to others. Although excellent results were obtained, with all patients surviving, some imperfection in diagnosis, timing of delivery and of operation, and in operative technique was observed. Therefore, it is stated that for optimal treatment of sacrococcygeal teratoma to be achieved, these cases should be treated in just a very few centres of neonatal surgery.

Sacrococcygeal teratoma—a 25-year experience in a UK regional center

“…Data from this 25-year study confirm a female predominance, incidence of associated anomalies, and typical presentation of bmonstrousQ neonatal lesions [1,4,9]. Before the late 1980s, while detection of fetal SCT was low (11%), it is of interest that neonatal morbidity was not encountered from unplanned vaginal delivery.…”

“…Most tum ors are b enign with an increasing number of lesions diagnosed in the antena tal period [2,3]. Pediat ric surgeons and fetal medi cine specialists are frequently involved in prenatal counseling when a fetus has a birth defect or other abnormality such as a tumor is detected [3,4]. Consequen tly, reliable informat ion on perinatal outcome and long-term effects after treatment of SCT is important [5][6][7][8].…”

Management and outcome in prenatally diagnosed sacrococcygeal teratomas

“…Most children born with sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCT) have an excellent prognosis after early surgical resection 1–4 . Prompt diagnosis and resection are critical because the risk of malignancy increases with delayed resection 4 .…”

Sacrococcygeal appendage with femur

“…Parasitic twins result from the selective destruction of part of one embryo, the subsequent location indicating the original site of attachment (Weber and Sebire, 2010). The main differential diagnosis of a parasitic pyropagus is sacrococcygeal teratoma, the most common sacrococcygeal tumor in newborns, with an incidence of one in 35 000-40 000 live births (De Backer et al, 2001). Both teratoma and parasitic twins may have tissues derived from all three germ layers, but they can be distinguished on the basis of organization of the tissues.…”