PubMed1995
Our objective was to determine the appearance, cause, and outcome of fetal face masses diagnosed antenatally by ultrasonography. Over a 6 year period, 10 consecutive fetuses with facial masses were identified. Ultrasonographic findings, neonatal pathologic findings, and outcome data were correlated. Four (40%) of the 10 fetuses died, including one with a palatal teratoma associated with a Dandy-Walker malformation and three with intracranial teratomas--one of which was associated with hydrops fetalis. Among the survivors, one fetus had a dacryocystocele that was managed conservatively and one had drainage of a salivary gland cyst. The remaining four neonates had successful excision of their tumors in the neonatal period and survived; these infants had a nasal teratoma, a thyroid teratoma, a gingival granular cell tumor, and a scalp hemangioma. Four of the 10 pregnancies had associated polyhydramnios, three of which ended in stillbirth or neonatal death. In conclusion, 40% of the fetuses with antenatal diagnosis of fetal facial masses did not survive. If those with intracranial teratomas are removed from this group, one of seven (14%) fetuses with extracranial masses died. The intracranial teratomas were uniformly fatal. Polyhydramnios was associated with poor outcome.