Encephalocele, sometimes known by the
Latin name
cranium bifidum, is a
neural tube defect characterized by sac-like protrusions of the
brain and the
membranes that cover it through openings in the
skull. These defects are caused by failure of the neural tube to close completely during fetal development. Encephaloceles cause a groove down the middle of the skull, or between the forehead and nose, or on the back side of the skull. The severity of encephalocele varies, depending on its location.