Mature Cystic Teratoma of the Parotid Gland: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Teratomas are germ cell tumors typically originating in the gonads. Extragonadal occurrences, particularly in the parotid gland, are exceedingly rare. Due to their nonspecific clinical presentation, these tumors often pose a diagnostic challenge. We report a rare case of a mature cystic teratoma of the parotid gland in an 18-year-old female, who presented with a painless, slow-growing mass in the right postauricular region persisting for over a decade. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a lobulated mass with high signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted sequences. The patient underwent a successful right superficial parotidectomy without postoperative complications. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of mature cystic teratoma. This case underscores the necessity of including teratoma in the differential diagnosis of parotid gland neoplasms, especially when presenting as a long-standing, asymptomatic mass.