Intracranial teratocarcinoma in a child with anterior sacral and intrasacral meningocele.

A very rare combination of two rare entities is reported. The patient had anterior sacral and intrasacral meningoceles, which were repaired at age 3 years, and 7 years later he presented with hypopituitarism due to a suprasellar teratocarcinoma. There has been no evidence of tumor recurrence in the 2.5 years since subtotal excision and radiotherapy (patient was last seen in 1977). Two aspects of the case are reviewed: the unusual nature of the spinal defect and the implications of its association with an intracranial tumor of developmental origin.