TITLE:
Therapeutic Outcomes of Encephaloceles at The Bangui Paediatric University Hospital: A Review of 20 Cases
AUTHORS:
Daniel Sylvère Ouaïmon, Junior Sylvère Gbelesso, Jacob Israèl Junior Sopio, Nathan Gbanade-Packo, Cyr Olivier Ngombo-Banguele, Jeff Jospin Mboko-Yandombo, Trinité Nick Paul Mbaikoua, Océane Diandra Ouaimon, Valère Ndoma Ngatchoukpo
KEYWORDS:
Encephalocele, Child, Treatment, Bangui
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.16 No.3,
April
23,
2026
ABSTRACT: Encephalocele is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by a malformation of the central nervous system consisting of a herniation of the brain through the skull. We report the therapeutic results of 20 cases of encephaloceles in our study at the paediatric surgery department in Bangui. This was a prospective study conducted over a period of five years from January 2020 to December 2025. Males predominated with a sex ratio of 1.5. The average age was 2 months. The occipital location was the most common (70%, n = 14), followed by the frontal location (25%, n = 5), and finally the nasoethmoidal location (5%, n = 1). The majority of parents had a low socioeconomic status (90%, n = 18) and came from the suburbs. Six children (30%) were born to consanguineous parents, and associated malformations were diagnosed at birth. All cases underwent surgical treatment with resection of the non-functional dysgenetic brain and closure of bone defects. The outcome was favorable in most cases (two cases of post-operative hydrocephalus). Encephaloceles are linked to an abnormality in the closure of the neural tube. They usually manifest very early at birth with very suggestive clinical symptoms. Surgical treatment usually results in a permanent cure. Despite all the progress made, the mortality and morbidity rates remain high and the psychomotor prognosis is compromised.