CNS CONGENITAL AND HEREDITARY DISEASES

Meningomyelocele (Spina Bifida)

is a condition in which the bony neural arch that encloses and protects the spinal cord is not completely closed. It most commonly occurs in the lumbar region, and the spinal cord and its meninges may or may not herniate through the resultant opening. The defect and soft tissue sac are confirmed with fetal sonography.

myelocele

is a protrusion of the spinal cord, minus its meningeal coverings, which may also be treatable surgically.

meningomyelocele

is the most common and most serious of possible conditions, affecting approximately one in every 800 infants and consisting of a protrusion of both the meninges and the spinal cord into the skin of the back

Hydrocephalus

Refers to an excessive accumulation of CSF within the ventricles and can be either congenital or acquired.

noncommunicating hydrocephalus,

an obstruction may occur congenitally or result from tumor growth, trauma (hemorrhage), or inflammation. It interferes with or blocks normal CSF circulation from the ventricles to the subarachnoid space.

communicating hydrocephalus

Poor reabsorption of CSF by arachnoid villi results in. It may arise from a number of factors, including increased ICP caused by tumor compression, raised intrathoracic pressure impairing venous drainage, inflammation from meningitis, or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Hydrocephalus may also occur from overproduction of CSF, although this is the least common cause.