WOFAPS 2025 8th World Congress of Pediatric Surgery

Alejandro Madurga, Jesús Abad, Maria Victoria Lopez-Canelada, Antonio Muñoz, Saturnino Barrena, Ana Lourdes Luis, Leopoldo Martinez

Hospital Universitario La Paz

AIM OF STUDY: Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is the most common congenital tumor in newborns. Although early surgical intervention typically ensures high survival rates, complex resections may lead to significant long-term functional sequelae. So far, a scarce number of studies have examined the lifelong emotional and physical impact of treatment for this neoplasm on patients and their families. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of urological, digestive, and neurological sequelae in patients surgically treated for SCT and to assess their impact on health related quality of life (HRQoL).

METHODS: An ambispective study was conducted inpatients operated between 1995 and 2020, with a minimum follow-up of one year. Clinical, demographic, and surgical data were collected, and HRQoL was evaluated using the PedsQL questionnaire (Generic Core Scales and Spinal Cord Injury Module), with results compared to those of a healthy control group.

RESULTS: This study evaluated 18 SCT patients (median age 17 years, IQR 13.8–27.5; 83.3% female) with a median follow-up of 14 years (IQR 8,25-17,75) after surgical resection. Tumors showed 53.3% immature histology and median 12 cm diameter (IQR 7–15), Notably, 61.1% of patients had associated congenital malformations, including one Currarino syndrome. Postoperative complications occurred in 72.2% of cases, with persistent urological (55.6%), gastrointestinal (46.2%), and neurological (23.1%) sequelae. Quality of life (PedsQL) scores were significantly lower than controls (p<0.05), particularly in well-being (median 27.08, IQR 9.38–72.92), general health (median 75, IQR 50-75) and specific domains such as bowel function (median 97,5, IQR 82,5-100) and bladder related concerns (87.5, IQR 39.58–100). Type II Altman was associated with a 100% of urological complications.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of a structured, multidisciplinary follow-up approach and the systematic use of validated tools to detect functional and emotional vulnerabilities in SCT patien