Epignathus teratoma

ABSTRACT

An epignathus is an extremely rare form of oropharyngeal teratoma that arises from the oral cavity, most commonly from the palate and is associated with a high mortality, secondary to airway obstruction in the neonatal period. We present a case of epignathus, diagnosed on antenatal ultrasound as teratoma. It was associated with polyhydramnios. The mother had presented with preterm labour at 27 weeks of gestation. A stillborn baby girl with a large epignathus was expelled spontaneously 2 hours after admission. Accurate prenatal diagnosis of the condition can be done by prenatal ultrasound including colour Doppler ultrasound, three dimensional ultrasound and MRI. The patient can be managed by EXIT [ex utero intrapartum treatment] procedure immediately after birth. Alternatively, the airway can be secured initially and a more complicated surgery can be undertaken once the patient is stable. Foetal surgery is another theoretical possibility