Abstract
A three-month-old well nutritioned girl, who suffered from cough and stridor, was admitted to our hospital. Chest roentgenogram, computed tomography, echocardiography showed a large mediastinal mass attached to the heart. Operation was contemplated on account of relief of progressive respiratory distress. A right anterolateral thoracotomy was performed through the fifth intercostal space. The pericardium was thickend and distended. About 20ml of straw-colored fluid was obtained from the pericardial sac at the time of opening the pericardium. The tumor, 5.5×4.5×5.0cm in size, was firmly attached to right atrium and ascending aorta. It was completely removed successfully and histologically diagnosed as immature teratoma (Ti). The postoperative course was uneventful. As for its anatomical position, intrapericardial teratoma is rare in frequency, but it occasionaly causes death due to cardiac tamponade. The first reported case of this disease was described by Joel in 1890. Since then, 55 cases of this disease have been reported in the literature during the period 1890-1983. In Japan Kume reported the first case in adult in 1979. Our case seems to be the first reported case in infancy. Age and sex, clinical findings, diagnotic examinations, treatments and histology of intrapericardial teratoma were discussed in already reported 55 cases addeding our one case.
