Background: The aim of the present study was to retrospectively determine the clinical factors affecting the outcome after birth in prenatally diagnosed sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCT).
Methods: Six cases of prenatal SCT were identified from January 1985 until August 2005. A retrospective review of case-notes and pathological reports was carried out. Clinical data during the perinatal period, operative findings, postoperative complications and follow up were evaluated in the patients with prenatally diagnosed SCT.
Results: SCT presented as type I in two neonates and type III in four between 22 and 33 weeks' gestation. Fetal intervention was not performed for any fetus. Five of six were delivered by cesarean section and the other was delivered vaginally due to small tumor size. Patients were born at between 29 and 39 weeks' gestation and weighed from 1840 to 3500 g. All patients with type III SCT presented with related diseases, including bilateral hydronephrosis, neurological deficit of the communicating peroneal nerve such as paralytic talipes equines, bladder or bowel dysfunction, high-output cardiac failure, or fetal hydrops in one of a set of fraternal twins. A baby with high-output cardiac failure and fetal hydrops underwent urgent cesarean section at 29 weeks' gestation and died 8 days after birth despite intensive care due to multi-organ failure. In five cases, surgery was successful with good outcomes maintained at follow-up of between 8 months and 14 years.
Conclusions: Detailed ultrasound should be performed to rule out associated anomalies, and determine the presence or absence of hydrops in prenatally diagnosed SCT. Fetal hydrops, orthopedic impairment such as lower extremity weakness and swelling, and urinary incontinence are important clinical factors affecting the outcome after birth in prenatally diagnosed SCT. In particular, the present study indicated that the association of a fraternal twin and fetal hydrops makes it very difficult to treat SCT perinatally.