Prenatal diagnosis and management of sacrococcygeal teratoma

Five fetuses, each with a sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) were delivered at t he Royal Women's Hospital while 2 fetuses, each with a SCT were delivered a t Monash Medical Centre in 1998. The number,of cases reported in this serie s is higher than expected but it most likely occurred due to chance. The di agnosis was made prenatally in all cases. Three of the SCT were entirely ex ternal while the remaining 4 were external with intrapelvic extension. Rapi d growth of the SCT occurred in 3 fetuses. This was associated with polyhyd ramnios in: 2 fetuses. No fetus developed nonimmune hydrops. Six infants we re liveborn (perinatal mortality rate of 14%), 3 of whom were delivered pri or to 37 weeks' gestation. Two infants were delivered by classical Caesarea n section. The remaining 4 infants were delivered by lower uterine segment Caesarean ection. There was 1 perinatal death. This stillborn infant was de livered vaginally. The 6 surgical resections were performed between the 4th and 10th postnatal days. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of benign SCT in each. One infant developed a recurrence at: 2 months of ag e and required chemotherapy.