Anterior encephaloceles.

Sixty five children with anterior encephaloceles were retrospectively studied for clinical presentation, radiological findings, surgery and outcome. They were sampled over a 22 years period (Jan 1973-Dec 1994). Only 6 children were above 10 years of age. Naso-ethmoid type was the most frequent type, encountered in 45 patients. Surprisingly, nasopharyngeal type was observed in 6 children. Swelling over the nose and hypertelorism were usual findings, recorded in 53 and 50 patients respectively. Ten patients, each, had CSF rhinorrhoea and proptosis. In fifty four patients CT scans were performed and bony defect could be demonstrated in 45 of them. Three each had agenesis of corpus callosum and porencphalic cysts. Six patients with hydrocephalus underwent ventricul operitoneal shunt, prior to surgical repair of the encephaloceles. In fifty nine patients, one stage repair of encephalocele and hpertelorism was carried out. There was one postoperative mortality. Ten patients developed postoperative CSF rhinorrhoea, among them 6 required percutaneous lumbo-peritoneal shunt. This study brings out the rare cases of nasopharyngeal encephaloceles and highlights the need for one stage repair in these patients.