<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> Background. Mediastinal fetal teratoma can be detected as a mass in the chest during a routine prenatal ultrasound screening. Because of the pressure on mediastinal structures it can be the cause of non-immune hydrops fetalis and polyhydramnion. The development of hydrops fetalis leads to fetal death or premature delivery in most reported cases. Early surgical removal is important, but, the result of treatment depends on the stage of development of mediastinal organs and complications in the postoperative period. Case report. A 31-year-old gravida carrying twins, with spontaneous membrane rupture at 32 weeks gestation underwent urgent caesarean section after antenatal ultrasound revealed severe polyhydramnion and hydrops fetalis in geminus A. The child was intubated immediately after birth due to severe respiratory distress. Ultrasound and X-ray revealed a tumour mass in the right hemithorax. Tumour resection was performed at the age of 7 days. Histology examination revealed an encapsulated immature teratoma. The postoperative course was complicated with respiratory insufficiency which turned into chronic at the age of eight months. Conclusion. This is the fifth reported child with fetal mediastinal teratoma and severe hydrops fetalis that survived the neonatal period. Additional diagnostic search revealed abnormal course of both pulmonary arteries, which was probably one of the main causes of respiratory insufficiency</abstract>

Background. Mediastinal fetal teratoma can be detected as a mass in the chest during a routine prenatal ultrasound screening. Because of the pressure on mediastinal structures it can be the cause of non-immune hydrops fetalis and polyhydramnion. The development of hydrops fetalis leads to fetal death or premature delivery in most reported cases. Early surgical removal is important, but, the result of treatment depends on the stage of development of mediastinal organs and complications in the postoperative period. Case report. A 31-year-old gravida carrying twins, with spontaneous membrane rupture at 32 weeks gestation underwent urgent caesarean section after antenatal ultrasound revealed severe polyhydramnion and hydrops fetalis in geminus A. The child was intubated immediately after birth due to severe respiratory distress. Ultrasound and X-ray revealed a tumour mass in the right hemithorax. Tumour resection was performed at the age of 7 days. Histology examination revealed an encapsulated immature teratoma. The postoperative course was complicated with respiratory insufficiency which turned into chronic at the age of eight months. Conclusion. This is the fifth reported child with fetal mediastinal teratoma and severe hydrops fetalis that survived the neonatal period. Additional diagnostic search revealed abnormal course of both pulmonary arteries, which was probably one of the main causes of respiratory insufficiency

Mediastinal teratoma with hydrops fetalis in a newborn and development of chronic respiratory insufficiency

Department of Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Institute of Radiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Department of Perinatology, Unit for Neonatal Intensive Care and Therapy, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana Slovenia

Radiology and Oncology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Background. Mediastinal fetal teratoma can be detected as a mass in the chest during a routine prenatal ultrasound screening. Because of the pressure on...

Mediastinal teratoma with hydrops fetalis in a newborn and development of chronic respiratory insufficiency

Published Online: Nov 05, 2014

Page range: 397 - 402

Received: Jun 28, 2013

Accepted: Jul 24, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2013-0080

Keywords
mediastinal teratoma, non-immune hydrops fetalis, diaphragm paralysis, chronic respiratory insufficiency

© by Stefan Grosek

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mediastinal teratoma with hydrops fetalis in a newborn and development of chronic respiratory insufficiency

Published Online: Nov 05, 2014

Page range: 397 - 402

Received: Jun 28, 2013

Accepted: Jul 24, 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2013-0080

Keywordsmediastinal teratoma, non-immune hydrops fetalis, diaphragm paralysis, chronic respiratory insufficiency

© by Stefan Grosek

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
mediastinal teratoma, non-immune hydrops fetalis, diaphragm paralysis, chronic respiratory insufficiency