Laparoscopic assisted removal of large ovarian mass causing precocious puberty in an infant—a case report

Background Sex cord and stromal tumors are a heterogeneous group of tumors that arise from gonadal sex cord cells, gonadal stromal cells, or both. They are divided into pure stromal tumors, pure sex cord tumors, and mixed tumors. Some of these tumors are hormonally active, producing androgens and estrogens, and may therefore exhibit virilization or excess estrogen. Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors are rare tumors belonging to mixed tumors representing less than 0.5% of ovarian tumors. Few cases have been reported in the medical literature. Case presentation We report the case of a 1-year-old girl who was admitted for breast lumps and pubic hair with intermittent painless vaginal bleeding in the past 2 weeks. The abdominal examination objectified the presence of an intraperitoneal mass to which an abdominal ultrasound and computerized tomography (CT) scan had confirmed the presence of a right ovarian mass. A laparoscopy was performed which showed an encapsulated mass arriving from the right ovary replacing the normal ovarian tissue. Laparoscopic-assisted removal of the entire mass was done. The postoperative course was uneventful. The histopathological study demonstrated an intermediately differentiated Sertoli cell tumor with an intact capsule, no lymphovascular invasion, or heterologous elements (TNM stage 1). Conclusions Although Sertoli-Leydig tumors are commonly seen after the second decade of life in young women, their discovery before puberty is not uncommon. Mass syndrome and signs of virilization are two frequently reported signs that should prompt the clinician to mention this entity among the differential diagnoses. The first-line radiological examination is pelvic ultrasound. The treatment is mainly based on surgery. The prognosis is excellent especially if the tumor is well differentiated.