Abstract
Retroperitoneal teratomas are rare, representing only 1% to 11% of primary retroperitoneal
neoplasms. They typically present as an asymptomatic abdominal mass but can grow to
enormous size. This case describes a patient who initially presented in childhood
with an acute abdomen because of an abdominal abscess that was treated with surgical
drainage and antibiotics. Fifteen years later, the patient had a recurrence of symptoms
and the abscess was ultimately recognized to be an infected retroperitoneal teratoma.
There have been reports of intraabdominal and pelvic teratomas presenting as abscesses
in adults. However, to our knowledge, there has been no prior description of this
phenomenon in children. In an otherwise healthy child who presents with an unexplained
abscess in the sacrococcygeal area, gonads, mediastinum, or retroperitoneum, one should
entertain the diagnosis of teratoma.
Index words:
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of Pediatric SurgeryAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Teratomas in infancy and childhood.in: Current problems in cancer. vol. IX, No. 9. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago1985: 3-4
- Primary retroperitoneal teratomas: a review of the literature.J Surg Oncol. 2004; 86: 107-113
- Retroperitoneal teratomas in children.Indian J Pediatr. 2006; 73: 221-223
- Retroperitoneal collections—aetiology and radiological implications.Clin Radiol. 1997; 52: 290-294
- Remote Salmonella infections.World J Surg. 1982; 6: 236-240
- Subhepatic abscess in pregnancy—an unusual presentation of infected primary retroperitoneal teratoma.Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2005; 84: 1127-1128
- Cystic teratoma—provoked peritonitis after pregnancy termination.J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2004; 26: 823-825
- Pelvic abscess and perforation of the sigmoid colon by a segment of benign cystic teratoma: an unusual complication of induced abortion.J Reprod Med. 1978; 20: 291-292
- Retroperitoneal teratoma presenting as acute abdomen in an elderly person.Indian J Gastroenterol. 2000; 19: 89-90
- Infected teratoma of lower posterior mediastinum in a six-year-old boy.Pediatr Radiol. 1991; 21: 438-439
- Shard-like calcifications in retroperitoneal teratomas.Pediatr Radiol. 1986; 16: 82-84
- Mature teratoma of the retroperitoneum: radiologic, pathologic, and clinical correlation.Radiology. 1989; 172: 421-425
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
July 21,
2007
Received in revised form:
July 14,
2007
Received:
June 22,
2007
Footnotes
☆The views expressed in the manuscript are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the US Government.
Identification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc.
