Teratoma of the spinal cord in an adult: Report of a rare case and review of the literature

Abstract

Teratomas of the spinal cord are incredibly rare, comprising less than 0.5% of all spinal cord tumors. These tumors are exceptionally rare in adults, with only a handful of cases reported in the literature. We present the case of a 49-year-old gentleman with new onset urinary incontinence who presented with a large intradural tumor of the thoracolumbar spine. The patient underwent a laminectomy with midline durotomy for subtotal tumor resection. Surgical pathology diagnosed the tumor as a mature teratoma, exhibiting the presence of all three germ layers. These tumors tend to present with an indolent onset of symptoms characteristic of the tumor location within the spinal cord and the affected surrounding nerve roots. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful in determining the location and nature of these tumors, but final diagnosis ultimately rests on histopathological analysis. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment, with subtotal resection being favored if there is a high risk of intraoperative neurological damage due to adherent or infiltrative tumor. In general, the prognosis for these tumors is good, with most patients exhibiting stable or improved neurological status after resection.

Keywords: Germ cell tumors; Intraspinal tumors; Spinal cord; Teratoma.