Introduction: Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is the most common teratoma presenting at birth. Life-threatening bleeding is a major complication during tumor excision in children. In this study we demonstrate our technique for laparoscopic division of median sacral artery (MSA) during dissection of SCT in 2 pediatric patients as a safe technique to minimize risk of hemorrhage.
Methods: Two female infants diagnosed with types III and IV SCTs underwent preoperative evaluation in the postnatal period. The first patient was an 18-month-old girl who presented with metastatic type IV teratoma, resected after neoadjuvant therapy, and the second patient was a 6-day-old girl with prenatal diagnosis of cystic type III teratoma. Using laparoscopy in both patients, the presacral space was reached by opening the peritoneal reflection with blunt dissection and the MSA was identified. Then it was carefully isolated and divided with 3 or 5 mm sealing device. The pelvic components of the tumors were partially dissected using laparoscopy. The first patient's tumor resection was completed using a posterior sagittal approach and the second patient required a standard Chevron incision. Along with the description of our technique, a review of the current literature for the management of SCT and MSA was performed.
Results: Both patients underwent successful laparoscopic division of the MSA and resection of the SCTs without complications.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic MSA division before SCT excision offers a safe approach that can reduce the risk of hemorrhage during surgery.
Keywords: general laparoscopy; oncological surgery; pediatric surgery.