Giant Epignathus Teratoma Involving the Palate, Tongue, and Floor of the Mouth

Abstract

A teratoma is a true neoplasm composed of multiple tissues foreign to the sites from which they originate. The estimated incidence of mature congenital teratomas at all sites is 1 in 4000 live births, of which at least 2% are oropharyngeal. An epignathus tumor is a congenital malformation classified as a mature teratoma. The incidence of epignathus is much rarer, estimated from 1:35,000 to 1:200,000 live births and has a female predominance. Teratomas, by definition, are neoplasms that consist of all 3 germ cell layers, and in the case of epignathus teratomas, the germ cell layers are mature differentiated tissue. A 1-day-old infant presented to us with giant epignathus that arose from the palate and extended to the lateral oropharynx and to the tongue. The tumor did not cause immediate respiratory obstruction, but there was difficulty with feeding. At the fifth day of the baby's life, the tumor was excised completely under general anesthesia through an endotracheal intubation.