Occipital encephalocele: a retrospective analysis and assessment of post-surgical neurodevelopmental outcome

Encephalocele represent a group of disorders which is characterised by extracranial herniation of the leptomeninges, brain, and CSF through a structural defect in the cranium. They are usually associated with other intracranial anomalies which may impact the neurological development.

This study aimed to assess the predictors of neurological development of patients undergone surgical excision of occipital encephalocele.

All patients with occipital encephaloceles operated over the last decade (2012–2022). The sac size, presence of hydrocephalous, and associated anomalies were noted. The biopsy of these patients were reviewed and categorised as those which contains mature neural tissue and those without. The neurological outcomes were assessed by social, language, cognitive, and motor milestone and has been stratified into no delay, mild (1 of 4), moderate (2 or 3 of 4), and severe development delay (4 of 4).

Total of 35 patients were included with median age of 10 months (IQR = 5–20 months). Fifteen (42.9%) patients had sac size of ≥ 5 cm, and 23 (65.7%) patients had mature neural tissues on biopsy. The median follow-up period was 6.4 years (IQR = 4.38–10.65) years. Seventeen (49.6%) patients had moderate to severe developmental delay. The sac size of ≥ 5 cm (AOR = 33.5; 95%CI = 3.35–334.8) (p = 0.003) and presence of mature neural content in the sac (AOR = 13.32; 95%CI = 1.1–160.36) (p = 0.041) were associated with significant neurodevelopmental delay.

The presence of a large sac of ≥ 5 cm and the presence of mature neural tissues on histopathological specimen of patients with encephalocele point towards the possibility of poor neurological development.