Craniofacial surgery for giant frontonasal encephalocele in a neonate

A 5-day-old neonate with a frontonasal encephalocele is reported. He was referred to our institute with a swelling on the glabella not associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. The baby was the first born of a non-consanguinous marriage. The baby had a swelling over the glabella, 7 cm in diameter. The swelling had healthy covering with a raw area at the centre without any CSF leak. A magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a soft tissue swelling containing tissue iso-intense to normal brain. The internal bony defect was at the junction of the frontal and ethmoid bones, in front of the crista galii, in the floor of the anterior cranial fossa. The baby was operated on the 11th day after birth. A one-stage repair of encephalocele was performed, along with correction of hypertelorism and reconstruction of the nasal bridge. The postoperative period was unremarkable. The baby was discharged from hospital on the 10th postoperative day.