Congenital teratoma of the oropharyngeal cavity with intracranial extension: Case report and literature review

Congenital teratoma of the oropharyngeal cavity is a unique clinical entity that poses immediate threats to the neonate in the postpartum period. Establishment of a secure airway is a primary goal after delivery; complete surgical resection is the subsequent guiding principle of management. Even more rare than teratomas confined to the oropharynx are tumors that extend into the intracranial cavity during development. Descriptions of these lesions in the medical literature are uncommon. In the majority of these reports, the tumors are associated with stillbirth, perinatal death, or significant morbidity after attempted resection. We present the rare case of a patient with congenital oropharyngeal teratoma with intracranial extension who has demonstrated long-term survival without any neurological or functional deficits. A unique delayed staged approach to resection of the extracranial and intracranial components of the tumor is described.