Hereditary ovarian dermoid cysts - A brief clinical case report

Benign ovarian teratomas also known as dermoid cysts, are thought to arise from a random error in meiosis (1). They are estimated to be bilateral in a pproximately 12% of patients (2). It can occur at any age, peaking at the 3 (rd)-5(th) decade of life (3). The familial occurrence of dermoid cysts was described in two or more first degree relatives up to three generations. Until now 12 familial cases comp rising 33 women were described in the literature (4). We hereby present two families with ovarian dermoid cysts suggesting autoso mal dominant inheritance.