Anaesthetic management of a child presenting with intrapericardial teratoma compressing the airway and the heart

Intrapericardial tumours can cause cardiac compromise either from pericardial effusion producing cardiac tamponade or from the mass obstructing the outflow from the heart or both. Respiratory embarrassment may also be present if the mass compresses the trachea or the main stem bronchus. A 1-month-old child presented in the emergency needing prompt measures to relieve compressive symptoms. Successful anaesthetic and surgical management led to uneventful recovery. Histopathology of the mass revealed a rarely occurring intrapericardial teratoma. After surgical removal, the child had clinical follow-up for more than a year. Intrapericardial teratoma is a rare entity that presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The authors describe the case of a 1-month-old male child with this condition who was successfully managed by resection of the mass.