What is encephalocele?
encephalocele is a very rare congenital defect in which the problem of fetal development causes part of the brain to herniat with a skull. This condition is classified as a defect in the nerve tube because it includes a problem with the development of the nerve tube, the structure of the fetus, which eventually develops into the brain, spinal cord and related skeletal material. The severity of the encephalocele may vary significantly, as is the prognosis. Approximately half of the infants born with this condition die shortly after birth, because the defect is so serious. If the fetus appears to have encephalocele, the doctor may recommend multiple medical imaging studies such as MRI of the fetus to learn more about the severity of this condition and develop a treatment plan. This condition usually does not affect the course of pregnancy, the doctor can recommend a caesarean section for delivery to prevent trauma into hernured brain tissue.
estimated that 80% of fruits with encephalocele dieD birth, because the defect is so serious that it is incompatible with life. Treatment of patients who survive with this condition is surgery shortly after birth to correct the defect and repair the skull to prevent future herniation. The best prognosis is for patients who have an encephalocele before the skull, while patients with herniation in the back of the skull may experience serious developmental delays, quadriplegia and other problems due to abnormalities of the brain.
Sometimes very mild encephalocele during pregnancy is undiagnosed and is not recorded after birth because it is so gentle. In these cases, parents may notice developmental delays or the development of abnormalities of the face and the doctor may diagnose encephalocele after a thorough examination. The treatment of these infants and children also usually involves surgery to correct the condition before deteriorating.
The causes of encephalocele are not fully understood. There seems to be a genetic connection, as in many nerve tube defectsE, but sometimes there is no clear genetic connection. Parents who are diagnosed with encephalocele should not blame or wonder if they could do anything else, and instead focus on the care they can offer to their child. After diagnosis, it can help consult a genetic advisor and accept tests that can detect a genetic predisposition for nerve tube defects, as this information could be useful for parents planning future pregnancy.