Basal Encephalocele Associated with Teratoma; Pathogenesis and Management, Case Report

Encephaloceles are rare congenital lesions containing neural tissue and meninges which are anterior or posterior. They can be associated with other central nervous system anomalies or very rarely tumors. Here we report a nine month old girl with basal encephalocele, bifid nose and hypertelorism. Anterior encephalocele was associated with a tumoral lesion that was resected and diagnosed to be mature teratoma. Her hypertelorism remained stable during follow up. Basal encephaloceles associated with teratomas are very rarely observed. Early surgery of these lesions has been performed to stop the progression of craniofacial deformity and improve the prognosis. The suggested mechanisms of this rare association are the enrolment of neural crest cells causing both encephalocele with teratoma and interposition of tumor cells in the future skull leading to encephalocele formation