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Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has several outpatient and urgent care centers throughout South Florida, including on-demand, virtual care.
Walk-in urgent care with no appointment needed.
Serving as your child's primary doctor's office.
Pediatric specialty consultations available closer to home.
A full range of comprehensive services all under one roof.
Connect with providers from the comfort of your own home.
With over 800 pediatric clinicians on staff, we’re dedicated to helping you connect with the right specialist for your needs.
We have expertise in treating children and educating families on hundreds of different conditions.
We use cutting-edge, specialized treatments and procedures to ensure the best care for your child.
Also known as: benign mediastinal teratoma, germ cell tumor, teratoma of the mediastinum, mediastinal chest mass
A mediastinal teratoma is a large mass that grows in the area between the two lungs. It’s a birth defect that is often benign, or non-cancerous. In some babies, it does not cause any problems, but in others it can lead to breathing difficulties and other problems.
The reasons why a mediastinal teratoma occurs in some babies aren’t clear. It is a very rare birth defect.
Symptoms of mediastinal teratoma will vary based on its size and location. In some cases, it causes no symptoms. Other times, it can impact breathing or the function of the heart to the point that it is life threatening.
Surgery is often recommended to remove the teratoma. This can even occur while the baby is still in the mother’s womb if the problems are severe and life threatening.
Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf
This page was last updated on: April 12, 2023 09:31 AM
Fetal Care Services offers support to families expecting an infant with medical needs that require intervention at birth. We provide comprehensive, coordinated care from prenatal diagnosis to the transition to infant care.
Any unusual physical feature or health problem that is present at the birth of a baby is known as a birth defect or a congenital anomaly. Would you like to learn about more ways to get involved at Nicklaus Children's?*
A teratoma is a fairly common congenital type of solid tumor that contains normal looking tissues like hair, teeth and bone (and very rarely whole organs). Would you like to learn about more ways to get involved at Nicklaus Children's?*