On August 17, BS.CKII Nguyen Thanh Truc - Head of Department of Surgery of the Day, Children's Hospital 2 (HCMC) - said that doctors had just performed surgery to remove the entire strange tumor in the amputated region weighing 1.3 kg for a 5-day-old baby girl.
Previously, when the fetus was 26 weeks old, ultrasound results at Tu Du Hospital discovered a tumor in the coccyx region - the lowest part of the spine, located right above the buttock groove. During pregnancy, the mother did not record any pathology.
By the 38th week of pregnancy, MRI results determined that the fetus had a type II conjunctival teratoma, size 126x100x106mm. According to Dr. Truc, large tumors can cause ulcers, infections, bleeding and threaten the child's life if they remain in the baby's body for a long time.
Faced with the above situation, Tu Du Hospital coordinated with Children's Hospital 2 to organize a multi-specialized consultation and develop a surgery plan for children immediately after birth.
Immediately after receiving the patient in the Neonatal Department, doctors consulted with the tumor team to assess the condition and plan an early surgery.
Before entering surgery, the patient was adjusted for disorders, transfused blood and frozen fresh plasma to improve blood clotting. The patient was also consulted by oncology surgeons and internal oncology surgeons.
Cancer marker tests were performed to assess the malignant risk of the tumor. The team also prepared blood, plasma and necessary measures to ensure safety during the surgery.
When the baby was 5 days old, doctors at Children's Hospital 2 performed surgery, removing the entire 1.3kg teratoma. After three days of post-operative treatment, the baby girl gradually recovered, the stitches were neat and were carefully cared for by doctors and nurses of the Neonatal Department, avoiding infection.
Dr. Truc said that coccyx teratoma is a disease that can be treated with a high success rate if detected and intervened early. When performing surgery, doctors need to remove the entire tumor and coccyx bone to limit the risk of recurrence.
In infants, most pituitary tumors are benign. However, in some cases, the tumor is small, located in the area near the anus, so it is not detected before or immediately after birth. The initial tumor may be benign but there is still a risk of malignant transformation if treated late.
To date, Children's Hospital 2 has operated on about 40 cases of tumors in the coccyx region, including both benign and malignant tumors.
According to data from medical literature cited by doctors, if surgery is delayed after the first month, the risk of malignant tumors may increase by about 25%; if left for 3-6 months, this risk may increase to about 75%.
Surgery in the first month after birth is very important, helping to limit complications and reduce the risk of malignant tumor transformation" - Dr. Truc recommended.
