Intrapericardial Teratoma in the Newborn - 3D-Echocardiography and Course of Disease

Zusammenfassung

Intraperikardiale Teratome sind sehr seltene Tumore, die durch eine Kompression mediastinaler Strukturen lebensbedrohlich werden können. Frühzeitige Diagnosestellung und präzise Evaluation sind für das therapeutische Vorgehen unabdingbar. Wir berichten über einen Fall, bei dem die Diagnose eines großen intraperikardialen Teratoms in der 25 + 0. Schwangerschaftswoche gestellt wurde. Postnatal erwies sich insbesondere die 3D-sonographische Untersuchung hilfreich, um einen umfassenden Eindruck der dreidimensionalen Struktur des komplexen Tumors zu erhalten, seine Ausdehnung sowie seine Insertion zu bestimmen. Dieser Fall illustriert den Einsatz neuer, nicht invasiver echokardiographischer Techniken für das therapeutische Management und die chirurgische Therapie insbesondere bei kritisch kranken Patienten.

Abstract

Intrapericardial teratoma is a rare tumour which may become life threatening when it causes mediastinal compression. Early sonographic detection and careful evaluation is necessary for further management. In this paper, we present a case with a large intrapericardial teratoma diagnosed in utero (25 + 0 weeks). After birth, 3D-echocardiography was particularly helpful in obtaining a comprehensive view of the three-dimensional structure of this complex tumour, in order to determine tumour extension and attachment before surgical excision. This case illustrates the opportunities which new, noninvasive echocardiographic tools create to aid therapeutic management and surgical therapy of critically ill patients.

Key words

Teratoma - pericardium - three-dimensional echocardiography - prenatal diagnosis - cardiac surgery

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