[Sacrococcygeal teratoma in an adult female operated with abdominoperineal approach].

The authors present the case of a 28 years old female with a mature, three-layers sacrococcygeal teratoma, which has been operated using an abdominoperineal approach. Teratomas are quite frequent in pediatric surgery; their incidence gradually decreases in adult population. Lately, significant progresses in the diagnosis and treatment of fetus and new born teratomas have been achieved; a review of the literature (2000-2004) is added. In adults, the diagnosis of teratomas is rather difficult. The symptoms are due to their size, to the compression of pelvic viscera or to their complications (infections, bowel obstruction, fistulas, malignancy). The treatment of teratomas is mainly surgical. The approach depends on the peculiarities of each case (size, invasion of the nearby viscera).