A birth defect where brain tissue and the protective meninges protrude through an opening in the skull.
From Greek enkephalos (brain) + meninx (membrane) + kele (hernia or protrusion). This rare medical term combines anatomical elements to describe a structural defect involving multiple layers of brain covering.
An encephalomeningocele is one of the most serious birth defects because it involves the brain itself pushing through the skull—unlike a meningocele (membrane only) which is slightly less dangerous. Prenatal ultrasounds can now detect these before birth.
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