| Encephalocele | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Cranium bifidum |
 | |
| Illustration of a child with encephalocele | |
| Specialty | Medical genetics  |
| Usual onset | congenital |
| Treatment | Surgery |
Encephalocele is a neural tube defect characterized by sac-like protrusions of the brain and the membranes that cover it through openings in the skull. These defects are caused by failure of the neural tube to close completely during fetal development. Encephaloceles cause a groove down the middle of the skull, or between the forehead and nose, or on the back side of the skull. The severity of encephalocele varies, depending on its location.[1]
- ^ NINDS Encephaloceles Information Page Archived 2009-01-13 at the Wayback Machine, NINDS, February 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-26.