Final Diagnosis -- Malignant Teratoma with Yolk Sac Tumor (Left Paravertebral Mass)
- FINAL DIAGNOSES:
- Unexpected Death of a 20 Month Old Boy with Malignant Teratoma
- Left Paravertebral Malignant Teratoma
with Yolk Sac Tumor
- Collapsed T11 Vertebral Body with Tumor
- Tumor in T10 and T12 Vertebral Bodies
- Status Post T9-L1 Osteoplastic Laminotomy, Decompression
of Spinal Canal and Biopsy of Epidural Tumor
- Status Post Placement of Broviac Catheter
- Tip of Catheter in Right Atrium at Autopsy
- Status Post Chemotherapy:
- CISPLATIN
- VP-16
- BLEOMYCIN
- Status Post Hyperalimentation
- Myelomalacia, Subacute, T8-L1 with Hemorrhage in Adjacent Soft Tissues
- Hypoplasia of Bone Marrow, Marked
- Melanotic Gastrointestinal Fluid, 420 ml
- Dehydration
- Postmortem Vitreous Fluid Sodium, right 164 meq/L, left 167 meq/L
- Aspiration of Gastric Contents, Agonal, Mild
NOTANDA:
This 20 month old boy underwent T9-L1 laminotomy, decompression of spinal cord,
and biopsy of epidural yolk sac tumor. He was discharged on October 27 following a
course of chemotherapy. He died 2 days later unexpectedly.
The autopsy revealed a paravertebral tumor with extension to the vertebral bodies.
No epidural tumor was present. The tumor was largely composed of yolk sac tumor
with a minor component of teratomatous elements.
The cause of unexpected death is not completely clear. However, hypernatremia was
an important factor contributing to death.
Contributed by Paul S. Dickman, M.D., Yoshie Hashida, M.D.,
Ronald Jaffe, M.B., B.Ch., Lance Cohen, M.D., and Charles A. Richert, M.D.