Exencephaly
Exencephaly
Exencephaly (pronounced: ex-en-sef-a-lee) is a rare and severe form of a congenital (present from birth) brain malformation in which the brain is located outside of the skull. This condition is usually associated with anencephaly, another severe brain malformation.
Etymology
The term "exencephaly" is derived from the Greek words "ex" meaning "out of" and "encephalon" meaning "brain".
Causes
Exencephaly is caused by a disruption in the neural tube development during the early stages of embryonic development. This disruption can be due to genetic factors, environmental factors, or a combination of both.
Symptoms
The most obvious symptom of exencephaly is the absence of the skull with the brain being exposed. Other symptoms can include facial abnormalities, spinal defects, and other neural tube defects.
Diagnosis
Exencephaly can be diagnosed during pregnancy through ultrasound imaging. Other diagnostic tests may include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans.
Treatment
There is currently no cure for exencephaly. Treatment is supportive and focuses on managing symptoms.
Prognosis
The prognosis for individuals with exencephaly is poor. Most infants with this condition are stillborn or die shortly after birth.
See also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Exencephaly
- Wikipedia's article - Exencephaly
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski