Bipartite anterior extraperitoneal teratoma: evidence for the embryological origins of teratomas?

Teratomas are thought to arise from totipotent primordial germ cells (PGCs) Dehner (1983) which may miss their target destination Moore and Persaud (1984). Teratomas can occur anywhere from the brain to the coccygeal area but are usually in the midline close to the embryological position of the gonadal ridges Bale (1984), Nguyen and Laberge (2000). We report a case of a bipartite anterior extraperitoneal teratoma. This is an unusual position for a teratoma, but one which may support the "missed target" theory of embryology.