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Outlook for the child with a cephalocele
M S Brown1, M Sheridan-Pereira
1Department of Perinatology, Children's Hospital, Denver, CO.
Pediatrics
|December 1, 1992
Summary
Outcomes for infants with cephalocele depend on defect location and additional congenital abnormalities. Mortality was 29%, primarily in posterior defects, with seizures and hydrocephalus indicating poorer prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Neonatal Neurology
- Medical Genetics
Background:
- Cephalocele outcomes are challenging to ascertain.
- Updated data is needed for clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide updated outcome data for infants with cephalocele.
- To identify key prognostic factors.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 34 infants with cephalocele.
- Comparison with previously published outcome series.
Main Results:
- Overall mortality was 29%, exclusively in posterior cephalocele cases.
- Nearly half of infants had additional major congenital abnormalities, impacting prognosis.
- Seizures and hydrocephalus were common in infants with poor outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Operability and presence of additional abnormalities are primary prognostic indicators.
- Intracranial and extracranial abnormalities significantly affect cephalocele prognosis.
- Updated outcome data aids in managing infants with cephalocele.