Teratoma of the Neck in Infants

Abstract

TERATOMA OF the neck is a rare neoplasm. The first proven case was published by Hess in Germany in 1854,¹while the first case in the United States was not reported until Bell's publication in 1926.²Since 1854, 102 cases have appeared in the literature, 32 of which are from the United States. This report will analyze these 32 cases and describe two new cases in detail. <h3>Report of Cases</h3> Case1 (Hospital No. 39212).—This was an eight months fetus delivered by cesarean section. The mother was a 21-year-old Negro para 2, gravida 3. She began to complain of vague abdominal distress three weeks prior to admission and noted rapid increase in the size of her uterus, about 10 cm over a three-weeks' period. She was admitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of polyhydramnios. A transabdominal tap was done and 6,000 ml of amniotic fluid slowly removed.