• Mohamed M Arnaout, Samuel Z Hanz, Linda A Heier, and Theodore H Schwartz.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Sharqia, Egypt; Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, USA. Electronic address: mohamedarnaout@yahoo.com.
• World Neurosurg. 2021 May 1; 149: e828-e835.

BackgroundWith advances in imaging techniques, encephaloceles, meningoceles, and meningoencephaloceles are occasionally discovered incidentally. These can be located in anterior cranial fossa (ACF), mostly protruding into sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses, or middle cranial fossa (MCF), protruding into the temporal bone. We reviewed a large series of cranial computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans to identify the prevalence of asymptomatic encephaloceles, meningoceles, and meningoencephaloceles and describe their outcome.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed a database of all magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans done at Weill Cornell Medicine for any reason between 2003 and 2018. Encephaloceles, meningoceles, or meningoencephaloceles were confirmed on 72 scans. Of these, chart reviews were performed to identify incidentally discovered cases with symptoms other than cerebrospinal fluid leak, and chart reviews and phone calls were conducted to determine patient demographics, treatment, and outcome.ResultsThere were 18 incidental cases for a prevalence of 0.0074%, of which 6 were located in ACF, and 12 were located in MCF. The mean age for ACF cases was 39 ± 15.9 years and for MCF cases was 49.5 ± 19.8 years. There were no leaks in any cases after the encephaloceles were discovered. Eleven of 12 (91.6%) MCF cases were treated conservatively, while 3 of 6 (50%; P = 0.083) ACF cases were treated surgically.ConclusionsThis study showed that encephaloceles, meningoceles, and meningoencephaloceles without cerebrospinal fluid leak or meningitis in MCF were more often conservatively managed with observation only, whereas these entities in ACF were often repaired prophylactically. Incidentally discovered encephaloceles have a relatively benign natural history and do not precipitously leak.Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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