Craniofacial Mature Teratoma: A Case Report

Abstract

A congenital teratoma is a rare malformation. In this case report, we present a case of a one-month-old female patient with a craniofacial teratoma that has an intracranial origin from the skull base located anterior to the sella turcica, extending to the hard palate and associated with cleft palate. The patient presented to our department with a large tumor protruding from the oral cavity that did not cause an immediate respiratory obstruction, but there were feeding difficulties noted. The diagnosis was established based on clinical and radiological aspects and confirmed by a preoperative incisional biopsy. Tumor resection was performed, during which a barrier was created between the intracranial and extracranial spaces with calvarial bone graft and abdominal fat. The patient subsequently underwent a series of surgical excisions, reconstruction, and cleft palate repair. Histopathological examination revealed the typical components of a teratoma, including mature neuroglial tissue. After five years of follow-up, no regrowth was observed, and the patient had normal swallowing function without neurological deficits.