OUTCOME OF SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR NEONATAL SACROCOCCYGEAL TERATOMA: EXPERIENCE WITH 13 CASES

Background and Objective: Sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCT) are the most common congenital tumors, 
occurring in 1/35000 live births. It presents a major neonatal surgical problem. The objective was to revise 
and describe our experience as regard diagnosis, operative management and finding, postoperative care as 
well as surgical outcome in neonates with SCT in our locality. 
Patients and Methods: Thirteen patients with SCT were treated surgically by one surgeon during the period 
from October 2005 to December 2011. All cases subjected to surgical treatment with the same protocol of 
preoperative evaluation and follow-up protocol. Perioperative data, clinical presentation, intraoperative 
findings, tumor characteristics, postoperative complications and outcome of surgical treatment all were 
reported and analyzed.
Results: The mean birth weight was 3093.75±822.2 gm; mean gestational age was 37.54±2.18 weeks and mean
age at time of operation was 10.92±14.87 days. There were 3 (23.1%) males and 10 (76.9%) females. Prenatal 
diagnosis made in one (7.7%) case and diagnosis was mainly clinical. Two cases had associated with 
congenital anomalies. The approach was sacrococcygeal in 12 (92.3%) cases and it was combined with 
abdominal approach in one (7.7%) case. Mean weight of the excised mass was 573.85±343.15 gm. 
Postoperative complications occurred in the form of wound infection in 3 (23.1%) cases, Poor cosmetic 
outcomes in 4 (30.8%) cases and clinically weak anal tone with manifest soiling in 2 (15.4 %) cases.
Conclusion: Sacrococcygeal teratoma presents a major neonatal surgical problem. A good prognosis is 
related to several factors. Adequate surgical treatment which includes complete excision at neonatal period 
with coccygectomy carries good prognosis and remains the mainstay of treatment.