Need to pick your brain....

[LilDKessler]

I remember in school learning about a condition where a "troll" type growth is found in a woman's uterus. After removal of this growth, women need to prevent pregnancy for 1 year due to increased risk of cancer. Yesterday in our day surgery area we came across a case that I believe is the same thing, yet the Dr. called it a dermatome. If I remember correctly it was something like a hydriform mole. Am I way off base & confusing different things, or do I actually remember this correctly. Thanks for letting me pick your brains a little.

LilDKessler

[NPinWCH]

If I understand what you are talking about the "troll" type thing is called a dermoid cyst or tertoma. It is a cyst formed from the germ cells of the ovary and they can contain teeth, nails, hair, bone and even glandular tissue. They are almost always non cancerous.

A complete molar pregnancy happens when a sperm fertilizes a non viable or empty egg and then just keeps replicating itself over and over. These pregnancies produce the "bunch of grapes" finding. Hundreds of fluid filled vesicles grow rapidly and fill the uterus.

A partial molar pregnancy is when 2 sperm fertilize 1 egg. There is often placenta, membranes and sometimes a fetus, though the fetus almost always has genetic issues.

The cancer risk is in molar pregnancies, due to remaining tissue. This tissue is considered malignant. The risk of this cancer is around 20%, but I may be off on that a bit. Because of the risk pregnancy should be avoided and follow up testing is very important.

[BookwormRN]

are you referring to a molar pregnancy? (hydatidiform mole)

www.emedicine.com/med/topic1047.htm

[MelodyRNurse]

Hydatidiform mole

[MelodyRNurse]

Oh, someone already said it.

[MrsMommaRN]

i don't know if you saw my big fat greek wedding. there is a scene where the aunt refers to her growth she had removed from her spine and says it was her twin. it was actually a dermoid cyst that people can have from birth and can grow on the spine and ovaries. here is a nice link for you. the above poster also explained it well.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dermoid_cyst_removal/article_em.htm