Posterior Vertical Approach for Sacrococcygeal Teratomas in Children

Pediatric surgeons are familiar with the posterior sagittal approach to the rectum at sacrococcygeal area and well oriented with the anatomy because of the Penal procedure for imperforate anus. The author utilized the posterior vertical elliptical incisions in 12 cases of sacrococcygeal teratoma since 1987. For presacral tumor(type IV)², the incision was exactly same as the posterior sagittal procedure for imperforate anus. But the out-growing(type I) or dumbbell-shaped(type II & III) tumors, a vertical elliptical incision was required. For the laterally deviated tumors, a vertical and half-chevron incision was utilized in one case, but an unbalanced vertical elliptical incision was acceptable for the remaining two cases, with shrinkage of the overlying skin. In dumbbell-shaped tumors(type II & III), the narrow waist of the tumor was at the level of the levator muscle, which formed a muscle-belt on the tumor waist. A careful dissection to save the muscle-belt seemed to be the most important point during this procedure, utilizing the nerve-stimulator. After complete removal of the tumor and the coccyx, the levator muscles and the skin were closed in vertical fashion along the midline. For the caudally extending tumors in 3 cases, the muscle complex was divided in midline. Nothing by mouth and total parenteral nutrition was maintained for 1 week and then laxatives were given for 2 weeks in order to give the sphincters rest. Operative scars were acceptable resembling natural vertical midline folds, and the sphincter function was continent in all cases. In conclusion, vertical elliptical incision in sacrococcygeal teratoma is recommended because of the acceptable scar, functional restoration, and because it is a familiar procedure particularly for the pediatric surgeons who are accustomed performing posterior sagittal approach for imperforate anus.