Frontoethmoidal Encephalomeningocele Correction by Medial Orbital Composite-Unit Translocation Technique: 13 Years of Siriraj Hospital Experience

Abstract

Frontoethmoidal encephalomeningocele (FEEM) is a congenital anomaly involving herniation of the glial tissues and the meninges. Our unit implemented single-stage repair in 1996, and this was followed by the introduction of the medial orbital composite-unit translocation (MOCUT) technique for encephalocele repair in 2001. This report describes the long-term outcomes of patients who underwent the MOCUT technique. Data were collected on 32 patients operated on between 2005 and 2018. A full analysis was subsequently made of the data from 4 selected patients who had been monitored for at least 5years, and their age-related anterior interorbital distances were compared. Two of the patients, who had simple forms of FEEM, demonstrated improvements in their intercanthal and anterior interorbital distances, whereas telecanthus was experienced by the 2 other cases, both of whom had complex FEEM types. We recommend using the MOCUT technique for simple types of FEEM (especially Type IA) and patients whose medial canthal ligaments are still anatomically attached to the medial orbits.