PRIMARY MATURE RETROPERITONEAL TERATOMA INVOLVING THE ADRENAL GLAND

Retroperitoneal mature cystic teratoma arising from the adrenal gland is a rare retroperitoneal tumor accounting for only 4% of all primary teratomas. Though mature cystic teratomas of extra gonadal sites are unusual, (1) those arising in the adrenals are exceptionally rare. (2, 3) They are more common in childhood and rarely occur in adults. (4) Only very few cases, mostly in young patients have been reported. Most teratomas in this region are secondary to germ cell tumors of the testicles or ovaries. To be very specific, in male patients, retroperitoneal germ cell tumors are more likely to have metastasized from the testes than presenting as primary tumors. On histological examination, they are composed of variable proportions of tissue originating from the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. Although gastrointestinal epithelium is occasionally seen in these tumors, the presence of a complete intestinal wall is rare. We report a case of primary mature cystic teratoma involving the left adrenal gland with portion of the mature component being intestinal wall.