Unilateral Cranio-Facial Cleft withan Open Encephalocele

摘要

Foetal craniofacial development is a complex series of events that occurs between the third and eighth weeks of gestation. Facial clefts are deformations of the face and/or cranium caused by relative excesses or deficits of tissue along linear anatomic planes. The present case was a stillborn female child of a 31yearold mother by caersarian route at 36 weeks? gestation. It is a very rare case with an open encephalocele in the squamous part of the frontal bone with a unilateral craniofacial cleft extending up to the encephalocele and probably would be the first case to be reported. Although the precise aetiology is unknown, multiple genetic and environmental factors may be involved. The environmental risk factors implicated include antenatal exposure to radiation, viral infections, metabolic abnormalities, and teratogenic compounds.