Surgery for a tumor containing hair, bones, teeth... on an 8-month-old patient

Teratoma on X-ray - Photo: BVCC

Removal of large retroperitoneal teratoma

On May 23, the General Surgery Department - Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital announced that it had successfully performed surgery to treat a retroperitoneal teratoma pressing on major blood vessels in a CTKD patient (8 months old, Ky Son, Nghe An).

The patient's family said that the child's abdomen was gradually distended. The family took the child for an ultrasound and discovered a large abdominal tumor. They decided to take the child to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital for examination and treatment.

At the hospital, the child was examined, tested, had an ultrasound and a CT scan. General surgeons determined that the child had a tumor, which was being monitored as a teratoma (a tumor made up of many different types of tissue, such as hair, muscle, teeth or bone, containing fluid, blood, cartilage, etc.), and was relatively large in size.

The tumor is located in the retroperitoneum, right behind the location of the inferior vena cava (the most important blood vessel that transports blood from the lower body to the heart) and compresses the inferior vena cava forward, pushing the renal artery and vein, kidney to the right and other organs in the abdomen.

The nature of the tumor on the CT scan and cancer marker tests showed that the tumor was likely benign, but the location of the tumor greatly affected the child's health, so surgery was necessary.

Are monsters dangerous?

Dr. Phan Le Thang - Head of the Department of Surgery, Hanoi Oncology Hospital - said that a teratoma is a tumor consisting of many types of cells originating from one or more of the three germ layers of the embryo.

These cells, depending on the degree of differentiation, can be benign or malignant depending on the immature tissue component. Although the name sounds scary, teratomas are usually benign tumors. Mature benign teratomas contain many different types of tissue such as hair, nails, muscles, teeth or bones...

The coccyx, ovaries, and testicles are the most common places to find teratomas. They can also appear in other places in the body, but are less common.

This type of tumor can exist in the body of any age, from infants, children to adults and the elderly.

Teratomas can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). However, even cancerous teratomas can be successfully treated if diagnosed and treated promptly. Therefore, if you have unusual symptoms, you should see a doctor immediately.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, teratomas are divided into two main types: Mature and immature.

- Mature : This type of teratomas is usually not cancerous. However, mature teratomas are more likely to grow back after being surgically removed.

- Immature : This type of teratoma is more likely to develop into cancer. Immature teratomas may contain elements of somatic (non-germ cell) cancers, such as sarcoma, carcinoma, or leukemia.

Initially, people with teratoma may not experience any symptoms. Once symptoms develop, they can vary significantly depending on the location of the tumor. Common teratoma symptoms may include:

- Painful.

- Bleeding.

- Swelling.

- Slight increase in BhCG ​​hormone concentration.

Doctors also recommend that when detecting any abnormal signs in children such as abdominal pain, bloating, or feeling an abnormal mass in the abdomen, parents should not be subjective, but should take their children to specialized pediatric hospitals for timely examination and treatment.

Teratomas in newborns can be detected by ultrasound during pregnancy and must be proactively delivered by cesarean section, then taken to specialized pediatric surgical centers early for surgery, otherwise the longer the time, the higher the risk of malignancy.

According to the authors, 97% of sacral teratomas in infants are benign, and complete surgical removal without chemotherapy is the preferred treatment. When the tumor is detected and operated after 2 months of age, the malignancy rate ranges from 50% to 60% and after 1 year is 75%.

Therefore, early diagnosis and surgery are very important in the treatment and prognosis of teratoma.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phau-thuat-u-quai-chua-toc-xuong-rang-cho-benh-nhi-8-thang-tuoi-20240523160329443.htm