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Conditions Treated
Conditions Treated
Conditions Treated
Acoustic Neuroma
Adult Tethered Cord
Acromegaly
Acute Subdural Hematomas
Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA)
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Aqueductal Stenosis
Arachnoid Cysts
Arnold Chiari Malformation
Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
Astrocytoma
Ballism
Basilar Invagination
Brachial Plexus Injury
Brain Aneurysm
Brain Attack (Stroke)
Brain AVM
Brain Conditions
Brain Metastases
Brainstem Glioma
Carotid Dissection
Carotid Stenosis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Causalgia
Cavernous Angioma
Cerebral Aneurysms
Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
Chordomas
Chorea
Chronic Subdural Hematomas
Colloid Cyst
Coma
Concussion
Congenital Dermal Sinus
Cranial GunShot Wounds
Craniopharyngioma
Craniosynostosis
Cushing's Disease
Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
Dandy Walker Syndrome
Degenerative Disc Disease
Dermoid Tumor
Disc Herniation
Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
Dystonia
Ependymoma
Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
Epidural Hematomas
Epilepsy
Essential Tremor
Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
Facet Joint Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
Ganglioglioma
Glioblastoma
Germinoma
Glioma
Glomus Jugulare Tumor
Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
Hemangioblastomas
Hemi-Facial Spasm
Hydrocephalus
Hyperhidrosis
Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Intracranial Hypotension
JPA
Low-Grade Astrocytoma
Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
Lymphoma
Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
Medulloblastoma
Meningioma Brain Tumor
Meralgia Paresthetica
Metastatic Brain Tumors
Moyamoya Disease
Myelomeningocele
Myelopathy
Nelson's Syndrome
Neurocysticercosis
Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Oligodendroglioma
Optic Nerve Glioma
Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
Osteoarthritis of the Spine
Osteomyelitis
Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
Parkinsons Syndrome
Pediatric Conditions
Pediatric Hydrocephalus
Peripheral Nerve Injury
Phantom Limb Pain
Pineal Tumor
Pineoblastoma
Pineocytoma
Platybasia
Postherpetic Neuralgia
Post-Traumatic Seizures
Primary CNS Lymphoma
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
Recurrent Adenomas
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Schwannomas
Scoliosis
Seizure
Skull Fracture
Slit Ventricle Syndrome
Spasticity
Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
Spinal Compression Fractures
Spine Conditions
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
Spinal Cord Tumors
Stenosis
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Syringomyelia
Tethered Cord Syndrome
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
Torticollis
Traumatic Hematomas
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trochanteric Bursitis
Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
Conditions Treated
Acoustic Neuroma
Adult Tethered Cord
Acromegaly
Acute Subdural Hematomas
Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA)
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Aqueductal Stenosis
Arachnoid Cysts
Arnold Chiari Malformation
Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
Astrocytoma
Ballism
Basilar Invagination
Brachial Plexus Injury
Brain Aneurysm
Brain Attack (Stroke)
Brain AVM
Brain Conditions
Brain Metastases
Brainstem Glioma
Carotid Dissection
Carotid Stenosis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Causalgia
Cavernous Angioma
Cerebral Aneurysms
Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
Chordomas
Chorea
Chronic Subdural Hematomas
Colloid Cyst
Coma
Concussion
Congenital Dermal Sinus
Cranial GunShot Wounds
Craniopharyngioma
Craniosynostosis
Cushing's Disease
Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
Dandy Walker Syndrome
Degenerative Disc Disease
Dermoid Tumor
Disc Herniation
Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
Dystonia
Ependymoma
Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
Epidural Hematomas
Epilepsy
Essential Tremor
Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
Facet Joint Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
Ganglioglioma
Glioblastoma
Germinoma
Glioma
Glomus Jugulare Tumor
Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
Hemangioblastomas
Hemi-Facial Spasm
Hydrocephalus
Hyperhidrosis
Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Intracranial Hypotension
JPA
Low-Grade Astrocytoma
Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
Lymphoma
Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
Medulloblastoma
Meningioma Brain Tumor
Meralgia Paresthetica
Metastatic Brain Tumors
Moyamoya Disease
Myelomeningocele
Myelopathy
Nelson's Syndrome
Neurocysticercosis
Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Oligodendroglioma
Optic Nerve Glioma
Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
Osteoarthritis of the Spine
Osteomyelitis
Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
Parkinsons Syndrome
Pediatric Conditions
Pediatric Hydrocephalus
Peripheral Nerve Injury
Phantom Limb Pain
Pineal Tumor
Pineoblastoma
Pineocytoma
Platybasia
Postherpetic Neuralgia
Post-Traumatic Seizures
Primary CNS Lymphoma
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
Recurrent Adenomas
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Schwannomas
Scoliosis
Seizure
Skull Fracture
Slit Ventricle Syndrome
Spasticity
Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
Spinal Compression Fractures
Spine Conditions
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
Spinal Cord Tumors
Stenosis
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Syringomyelia
Tethered Cord Syndrome
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
Torticollis
Traumatic Hematomas
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trochanteric Bursitis
Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
Home
Conditions Treated
Congenital Dermal Sinus
Congenital Dermal Sinus
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About Congenital Dermal Sinus
General Information
A congenital dermal sinus is a scaly, multi-layered channel of tissue found along the body’s midline anywhere between the nasal bridge and the tailbone.
The tract may end just below the skin surface or may extend to portions of the spinal cord, skull base or nasal cavity.
Symptoms
A spinal dermal sinus may appear as a dimple or a sinus (open tract), with or without hairs, usually very close to the midline, with an opening of only 1 to 2 millimeters. The surrounding skin may be normal, pigmented or distorted by an underlying mass.
These tracts are a potential pathway for infections within the dura mater, the tough outer membrane covering the brain, and may result in meningitis and/or an abscess. The contents of the dermal sinus causing sterile (chemical) meningitis may also irritate the skin.
If the tract expands into the thecal sac (the sac that contains the spinal cord) to form a cyst, the mass may appear as a tethered cord. In these circumstances bladder dysfunction usually occurs.
Diagnosis
If the tract is seen following birth, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan should be obtained. Images may show the tract and its point of attachment. MRI also shows masses within the canal.
Treatment
Sinuses above the lumbosacral region should be surgically removed.
Although approximately 25 percent of presumed sacral sinuses seen at birth will regress to a deep dimple on follow-up, all dermal sinuses should be surgically explored and treated prior to development of neurologic symptoms or signs of infection.
The results of treatment following intradural infection are never as good as when undertaken prior to infection.
Sinuses that terminate on the tip of the tailbone rarely penetrate the dura and may not need to be treated unless local infection occurs.