Minimally invasive surgery of a retroperitoneal teratoma located near the external iliac vessels.

A 37-year-old woman was admitted for removal of a right adnexal mass. Ten months prior, a 5 cm mass, believed to arise from the right ovary, was found during a prenatal ultrasound. Its characteristics were suggestive of a mature cystic teratoma. The patient underwent a cesarean section for delivery, but the mass was not apparent in the right ovary. Following delivery, computed tomography showed a persistent fatty radiolucent mass in the right pelvis, again consistent with probable mature cystic teratoma. Laparoscopy was performed, and bilateral adnexa was unremarkable. A retroperitoneal mass was discovered proximal to the right external iliac vessels (Fig. 1). The tumor was easily separated from surrounding tissue and appeared to contain fatty tissue (Fig. 2, Fig. 3). Pathological examination verified the diagnosis of mature cystic teratoma. Fig. 2A clear boundary between the retroperitoneal tumor and surrounding tissue. View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image Fig. 3The mass had a smooth membrane with fat-like contents. View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image