Dermoid cyst

Other Head and Neck Teratomas

Teratomas involving the neck or areodigestive tract are rare, gender nonspecific lesions. They can obstruct the

Image 9.21 Neck teratoma.

oropharynx leading to polyhydramnios and pulmonary hypoplasia in the fetus and respiratory distress in the newborn. They may involve the neck (thyroid teratoma), the oropharynx, or the nasopharynx.

The differential diagnosis includes cystic hygroma, lymphangioma, branchial cleft cyst, goiter, and neuroblastoma.

Plain films show calcifications, while CT and/or MRI demonstrate the extent of the lesion.

The majorities are benign and complete resection is the treatment of choice.

A dermoid cyst is a mature cystic teratoma containing hair (sometimes very abundant) and other structures characteristic of normal skin and other tissues derived from the ectoderm.

A dermoid cyst can occur wherever a teratoma can occur, since they are categorically classified as such. The term is most often applied to teratoma on the skull sutures and in the ovaries of females.

Because it grows slowly and contains mature tissue, a dermoid cyst is almost always benign. The rare malignant dermoid cyst usually develops squamous cell carcinoma in adults; in infants and children it usually develops an endodermal sinus tumor.

Treatment for dermoid cyst is complete surgical removal, preferably in one piece and without any spillage of cyst contents.