Dermoid cyst
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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|---|---|
| Intraovarian Dermoid | |
| ICD-10 | K09.8 |
| ICD-9 | 528.4 |
| ICD-O: | 9084/0 |
| DiseasesDB | 3604 |
| eMedicine | derm/686 |
A dermoid cyst, or benign cystic teratoma, also mature cystic teratoma, is a nonmalignant tumor containing a cyst lined by epidermal cells. It can contain all the elements of the dermis, including skin, hair follicles and sweat glands, and the cyst often contains sebum. The lesion may harbor hair and calcified bone or teeth. The calcification will be apparent on x-ray. On gynecologic ultrasonography the sebum appears bright. Other cell types may be present as derivatives of the germ layers; ectoderm, mesoderm, or endoderm.
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[edit] Locations of dermoid cysts
Dermoids usually occur in the ovary, orbit and other places.
[edit] Orbital dermoid cyst
Orbital dermoid and epidermoid cysts (Tetranoma) are examples of choristomas, tumors that originate from aberrant primordial tissue- usually from birth. These tumors contain normal-appearing tissue in an abnormal location. As two suture lines of the skull close during embryonic development, dermal or epidermal elements are pinched off and form cysts, which are adjacent to the suture line. Approximately 50% of these tumors that involve the head are found in or adjacent to the orbit<ref>Emedicine article on orbital dermoid cyst</ref>.
[edit] Ovarian dermoid cyst
Ovarian dermoid cysts often occur bilaterally, and account for about 25% of all ovarian neoplasms. Mostly they are seen in the reproductive years, but they can be found in girls and in post-menopausal women. The size varies, and may exceed that of the ovary as such lesions are usually asymptomatic.
[edit] Pathophysiology
As a teratoma, dermoid cysts belong to the group of germ cell tumors and develop from an unfertilized primordial oocyte (a totipotential cell), thus any cell type could be present in a lesion. On a rare occasion, a benign cystic teratoma is found in the brain, where they are thought to occur when embryonic nests of tissue become trapped during the closure of the neural tube.
[edit] Treatment
Dermoid cysts are almost always curable by surgical removal. On a rare occasion tissue within a lesion is hormonally active (struma ovarii) or undergoes secondary malignant degeneration. Those rare tumors which are malignant usually contain squamous cell carcinoma. Superficial orbital dermoid cysts are located in fronto-zygomatic suture and easily approached by skin incision. Deep orbital dermoid cysts require extensive imaging, including CT and MRI, and may present a surgical challenge with difficult approach due to nearby vascular and nerve elements.
[edit] References
<references/>
Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ninth Edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia 2003. ISBN 0-7817-3730-3
There have also been rare cases of cyst in male testicles. So rare that there are few articles on the subject, but can be found with extensive research on the web and in medical journals.
