Congenital neurenteric cyst

What is a congenital neurenteric cyst?

Neurenteric cysts are a very rare tumor that develops on the spinal cord during fetal development. In most cases, they are diagnosed during childhood.

Risk factors

Neurenteric cysts are twice as common in boys as they are in girls.

What are some common neurological conditions associated with congenital neurenteric cyst?

A child with a neurenteric cyst may have another neurological condition, such as:

• Spinal cord irregularity or deformity
• Spinal dysraphism (problem with the spinal cord that occurs during fetal development)
• Scoliosis
• Spina bifida (myelomeningocele)
• Klippel-Feil Syndrome (abnormal fusion of spinal bones in the neck)

What are the signs and symptoms of a congenital neurenteric cyst?

Signs and symptoms of a neurenteric cyst can include:

• Bladder incontinence
• Fecal incontinence
• Meningitis
• Pain in the spine (at the location of the cyst)
• Paraplegia (problem with motor function in the lower half of a child’s body)

What are the causes of a congenital neurenteric cyst?

Neurenteric cysts occur due to a problem during fetal development in the mother’s womb.