| Abstract [eng] |
Fetal teratoma is a rare condition. Yet it is the most common type of fetal tumor. It is derived from all three germ layers and can have solid or cystic morphology. Fetal teratomas are usually benign, though in some cases they can be malignant. The most common type of Fetal teratoma is sacrococcygeal teratoma. The diagnosis is usually done by ultrasonography during the second trimester. Magnetic resonance imaging can then aid in the diagnosis of fetal teratomas. Surveillance of the maternal and fetal condition is one of the most important treatment strategies during the pregnancy period. Frequent check ups by specialised healthcare providers are crucial for a positive pregnancy outcome. Treatment involves intrauterine surgery, EXIT to resection or postnatal removal of the teratoma. Follow up is needed as a small percentage of fetal teratomas become malignant over the course of the patient's life. Due to the rare occurrence of fetal teratomas research especially new and updated research is not abundantly available. Most of the research available at the moment is composed of case reports. Treatment strategies are still in need of more research, as outcomes and effectiveness of different surgical techniques are still heavily debated and opinions on the matter differ a lot between researchers and papers. This review aims to establish a detailed overview over fetal teratomas, their origin, diagnostics, treatment and follow up. The goal of this research is to provide a summary of the topic and give practical recommendations to healthcare providers who are looking for a structured overview. This review looked at 51 papers on the topic of fetal teratomas containing research from the last decade. It found that due to diagnostics and imaging methods evolving over the past decades and the invention of new surgical techniques massive sacrococcygeal teratomas and other life threatening teratomas can be treated successfully in many cases and are not necessarily a death sentence for the fetus anymore. But due to the infrequent occurrence of fetal teratomas, specialisation can be hard and more research especially on the different surgery methods needs to be carried out. |
