Neonatal Intrapericardial Teratoma Excision

Intrapericardial teratomas are rare tumors arising from all three germinal layers. They are mostly benign, but can lead to life-threatening complications such as cardiac tamponade in newborns. The authors present the case of a 25-day-old girl who was antenatally detected to have a tumor in the mediastinum. Her birth weight was 2.8 kgs, and she was asymptomatic after birth. Room air saturation level was 98% and x-ray of the chest revealed cardiomegaly, suggestive of pericardial effusion. Postnatal echo and CT scan confirmed the diagnosis of intrapericardial teratoma. CT chest revealed a cystic mass with superior mediastinal adenopathy within the pericardium on the right side, measuring 5.7 x 4.1 x 4.2 mm, seen beside the right atrium and superior vena cavae and compressing the right atrium and ascending aorta. She underwent excision of the tumor (which was attached to the ascending aorta) under cardiopulmonary bypass support. Postoperatively, she was extubated within three hours. Total bypass time was 25 minutes. Postoperative management was uneventful, and the baby was haemodynamically stable and discharged within three days.