DERMOID CYSTS: A CASE SERIES OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

A. FRANCHELLA;S. PELLEGRINELLI;F. CARINCI;I. ZOLLINO;G. CARNEVALI;V. CANDOTTO;S. FRANCHELLA;DENOTTI, GLORIA;PIRAS, VINCENZO;G. BRUNELLI

2012-01-01

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Abstract

Dermoid cysts (DCs) are benign lesions arising from entrapment of epithelial rests during embryogenesis. They rarely present in children, and are usually diagnosed during the 2nd or 3rd decade of life. In the period between January 2001 and December 2010, 60 patients underwent to DCs treatments at the Pediatric Surgery Unit, S Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy. Patients included 29 females and 31 males. Age ranged from 7 months to 16.8 years with a mean value of 3.2 years at the time of admission. Thirty-four, 13 and 1 were located in the upper, middle and lower third of the face. Twelve were in the neck. All were treated with surgery under general anesthesia. No recurrences were detected in the follow-up period. DCs usually present as a non-painful swelling in the lines of fusion. More rarely the cyst may be asymptomatic until it presents with apparent enlargement or with inflammatory symptoms. An ultrasound scan is commonly used as the first choice to investigate the lesion. With CT, a DC has characteristic features: it is typically well-defined and has an enhancing wall and a non-enhancing lumen. Irregular dense areas presumably correspond to clumping of epithelial debris within the lumen of the cyst. The treatment of these lesions consists in complete extirpation. In conclusion, DCs are rare disembryogenetic lesions that may occur at the head and neck area, particularly in the orbit and in the floor of the mouth.