congenital abnormality in South East Asia

The clinical features of 23 cases of frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele are described in two South East Asian populations. The clinical, embryological, and epidemiological evidence may support an early teratogenic insult in the aetiology of this congenital defect. Frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele (FEM) is a congenital abnormality involving the herniation of meninges and cerebral tissue through a defect in the anterior cranium, between the frontal and ethmoidal bones. Although rare in Europe and the USA, the condition has been described previously in a number of racial groups in South East Asia, including Thais, Malaysians, and Burmese. This study describes the clinical features of FEM in two ethnic groups. The Cambodian cases were detected at presentation in an outpatient facility of a refugee camp and the Thai cases were identified in an orphanage in Bangkok.