Long-term functional outcome of sacrococcygeal teratoma after resection in neonates and infants: a single-center experience

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and factors associated with long-term functional outcomes of sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) after resection in neonates and infants. Methods Twenty-nine patients with a minimum of 3 years of follow-up who underwent resection and were histologically diagnosed with SCTs between 1982 and 2017 at our institution were included. Results The median age at the time of the study was 10.0 years. Functional disorders occurred after surgery in 6 (20.7%) patients. Anorectal dysfunction, urologic dysfunction, and lower-extremity motor disorders occurred in 6 (20.7%), 4 (13.8%), and 3 (10.3%) patients, respectively. One patient with all three types of functional disorders developed intestinal perforation due to ileus and died of sepsis at 13 years of age. The overall mortality rate after tumor resection was 3.4%. The patients who developed functional disorders presented a low 1-min Apgar score, larger tumors requiring abdominosacral resection, surgical injury to the pelvic organs, and immature or malignant histological findings. Conclusion Although the mortality rate was low, the long-term rate of functional disorders after SCT resection was approximately 20%. SCT patients with large tumors, surgical injury to the pelvic organs, and immature or malignant histological findings require thorough follow-up.