Fetal Nasopharyngeal Teratoma: An Autopsy Case Report

Abstract

Teratoma is a rare type of tumor that can contain fully developed tissues and organs, including hair, teeth, muscle, and bone. Teratomas are most common in the tailbone, ovaries, and testicles, but can occur elsewhere in the body. These tumors originate from all three embryonic germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. Nasopharyngeal teratomas are responsible for a high birth mortality rate from acute respiratory distress. We report a rare case of pharyngeal mass in a fetus with antenatal ultrasound and autopsy findings. A 31-year-old primigravid woman with history of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and treated hypothyroidism presented with severe polyhydarmnios, prenatal ultrasound revealed a heterogenous solid cystic mass in submandibular region with no vascularity on Doppler exam. The postmortem and pathologic examination confirmed the nasopharyngeal teratoma with extensive cervical extension. The aim of this study was updating current knowledge about this disease.In 1863 Virchow used the term “teratoma” that derived from the Greek word “teraton” (meaning monster .Teratoma is a true neoplasm and is the most common mass encountered in neonates .