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Case Report: A Giant Epignathus with a Well-Developed Skeleton of Head and Neck.

Shintaro GotoAtsuko NakazawaTadashi YoshizawaMasahiko AokiTakeshi HirabayashiHiroko SeinoSatoko MorohashiHiroshi Kijima
Published in: International journal of surgical pathology (2022)
Epignathus is an extremely rare teratoma found in the oral cavity or oropharyngeal region of newborns, whose pathogenesis is poorly understood. We describe a giant epignathus arising from the oropharynx in a newborn. The giant tumor completely obstructed the airway of the newborn resulting in death. Histological and radiological examination of the tumor reveals the presence of a remarkably well-developed skeleton of the head and neck. A row of teeth, the axis and atlas, thyroid and salivary glands, trachea, and cerebral tissue are all detected within the tumor. These findings suggest that the epignathus is fetus-in-fetu which is considered a type 0 germ cell tumor in accordance with current literature.
Keyphrases
  • case report
  • systematic review
  • germ cell
  • single cell
  • blood brain barrier
  • preterm infants