Definition

Noun: A meningocele is a congenital (present at birth) defect of the central nervous system. It is a type of spina bifida where a sac or cyst, formed by the meninges (the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord), protrudes through an opening in the spine or skull. This sac contains cerebrospinal fluid but does not contain nerve tissue or the spinal cord itself.

Usage

This is a specialized medical term used primarily in clinical, anatomical, and patient-care contexts. * The ultrasound revealed a meningocele in the developing fetus. * Unlike more severe neural tube defects, a meningocele often results in fewer neurological problems because the spinal nerves are not involved in the sac. * Surgical repair of the meningocele is typically performed to protect the exposed membranes.

Advanced Usage

• Differential Diagnosis: In medical practice, distinguishing a meningocele from a myelomeningocele (where the sac contains nerve tissue) is critical for prognosis and treatment planning. A meningocele generally has a better functional outcome.
• Descriptive Pathology: The term is used to describe the specific anatomical nature of the defect in medical reports and literature.

Variants and Related Words

• Meninges (plural noun): The three membranes (dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater) that envelop the brain and spinal cord.
• Myelomeningocele (noun): A more severe form of spina bifida where the protruding sac contains both meninges and spinal cord/nerve tissue.
• Spina Bifida (noun): A general term for a range of birth defects involving incomplete closure of the spine; meningocele is one type.
• Cephalocele / Encephalocele (noun): A similar congenital defect where brain tissue and meninges protrude through an opening in the skull.

Synonyms

• Spinal meningeal cyst (a descriptive synonym in medical terminology).
• Cystic spina bifida (a general descriptive term).

Note: There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs associated with this highly specific medical term.

Noun

1. a congenital anomaly of the central nervous system in which a sac protruding from the brain or the spinal meninges contains cerebrospinal fluid (but no nerve tissue)