A rare cause of short stature: transsphenoidal encephalocele

Abstract

Basal encephaloceles are rare, accounting for about 1.5 % of all encephaloceles. Transsphenoidal encephaloceles represent less than 5 % of basal encephaloceles. Respiratory and feeding difficulties due to mass effect in the oral or nasal cavity and episodes of recurrent meningitis are the main clinical features. Diagnosis is established in the first year of life, but without characteristic facies, the diagnosis can be delayed to adolescence or adulthood. We report the case of a 10-year-old boy who presented with short stature and eventually was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency because of mass effect of transsphenoidal encephalocele. Unusual presentation of an encephalocele as a short stature is described. © 2013, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.