Extraspinal sacrococcygeal ependymoma masquerading as sacrococcygeal teratoma in the pediatric patient

Excerpt

Ependymoma is a glial cell tumor that arises from the ependymal lining of the central nervous ventricular system [1]. These tumors are most commonly seen in children and account for 10% of all central nervous system tumors [1, 2]. There have been rare cases of extraspinal sacrococcygeal ependymomas reported in the literature. These tumors are thought to originate from a group of heterotopic ependymal cells called the coccygeal medullary vestige [3]. While these tumors are often initially misdiagnosed as pilonidal disease, the differential diagnosis also includes congenital tumors such as chordoma, teratoma, and dermoid cysts. This case describes the presentation of an extradural sacrococcygeal subcutaneous ependymoma misdiagnosed as a sacrococcygeal teratoma. …