Intrasellar Cephalocele

World Neurosurg. 2021 Apr:148:13-14. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.12.112. Epub 2020 Dec 30.

Abstract

Intrasellar cephalocele is very rare and is often overlooked because of its atypical clinical demonstration. A 2-year, 10-month-old girl was referred to our hospital with short stature. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extension of the anterior third ventricle, which protruded into the pituitary fossa, but not into the craniopharyngeal canal, sphenoid bone, or sphenoid sinus. In addition, there was no bony defect of the floor of the sellar turcica or the sphenoid sinus, and the mass was not protruding into the nasal cavity or nasopharynx. Thus the patient was clinically diagnosed with intrasellar cephalocele, which is considered as a rare subtype of transsphenoidal cephalocele. Instead of surgical intervention, the patient was given growth hormone replacement therapy. After 1-year follow-up, the patient had significant increase in height.

Keywords: Intrasellar cephalocele; Magnetic resonance imaging; Sellar; Short stature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Encephalocele / complications
  • Encephalocele / diagnostic imaging*
  • Female
  • Growth Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Growth Disorders / etiology
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • Human Growth Hormone / deficiency
  • Human Growth Hormone / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Hypopituitarism / drug therapy*
  • Hypopituitarism / etiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Sella Turcica / diagnostic imaging*

Substances

  • Human Growth Hormone