A clinico-pathological evaluation of ovarian teratomas in Uyo, Nigeria during a 10 year period

Abstract

Objective: To show the clinicopathologic pattern of ovarian teratomas (OT) in Uyo, Nigeria and how they compared to results from other parts of the world.

Design: This was a quantitative observational, descriptive study of all OT specimens that were histologically diagnosed in the Histopathology Department of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria.

Results: Of the 149 ovarian specimens received, OT was seen in 54 cases accounting for 36.2% of all ovarian lesions. Most of the patients were between age groups 20-29 years (37%) and 30-39 years (29.6%). The youngest patient was aged 4.5 years, while the oldest was 68 years with a mean age of 33.7 years with a standard deviation of 13.8. The complaints at presentation were mainly abdominal pain (50%), abdominal swelling (42.6%), per vagina bleeding (7.4%). All the patients had laparotomy, which was a cystectomy (68.5%), oophorectomy (22.2%) or a hysterectomy (9.3%). In 46.3% of cases, the widest diameter of the mass was greater than 10cm, while in 37% of cases, the widest diameter was ≤ 10cm. The contents were cheesy material admixed with tuft of hair (70.4%), sebum (37%), serous / mucinous fluid (18.5%), bone (7.4%), teeth (5.6%), cartilage (5.6%). Histologically majority of the OT were mature teratomas (MT) (88.9%). Malignant transformation of a MT (MTMT), immature teratoma and struma ovarii were seen in 5.6%, 3.7% and 1.9% of cases respectively.

Conclusion: The frequency and pattern (histologically) is same as known for OT globally. Very few asymptomatic patients presented, while no patient had laparoscopic surgery.