Meningocœle

This is a sac-like expansion of the membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cordThe main nerve trunk running down the spinal canal and connecting the individual’s mind and consciousness to the rest of his or her body. It is about the size of a person’s little finger, in diameter. It cannot repair itself if damaged.. It is an abnormality of normal development that is usually evident at birth and surgical correction is usually carried out. It is associated with abnormal development of the bones of the spinal canalThe individual bones that comprise the spinal column are made up of a weight-bearing “body” and other components which, together, form a ring of bone, behind the body. These individual vertebrae, joined together as the spinal column, therefore, create a canal running down the entire length of the spine., referred to as spina bifidaDuring development, at each level of the spine two plates of bone migrate towards one another and fuse, in the midline, forming what are referred to as spinous processes. It is the tips of these spinous processes that we feel when running a finger down our spines. Sometimes one or more of the pairs of plates fail to fuse adequately, such that two, shorter spinous processes form on each side of the midline. This is what is referred to as spina bifida. It affects most commonly the lower part of the spine, in the lumbar region. Many people may quite unaware that they have such split (or, more specifically, never joined), spinous processes. Plain radiographs, or magnetic resonance imaging, may.... If there are neural elementsThe brain, the spinal cord and the nerves that connect these structures to all parts of the body can be referred to as neural elements, to distinguish them from other parts, in particular their protective coverings, such as the meninges and skeletal elements. inside the meningocœle then the term myelomeningocœleSee meningocœle. is used.