Embryology and Congenital Malformations Flashcards
Describe granulation
Happens at week 3
Epiblast generates 3 germ layers
Hypoblast lines yolk sac
Primitive streak
Describe the 3 germ layers
Ectoderm - epidermis and nervous system
Mesoderm - bone, muscles and blood cells
Endoderm - gut, pharynx, and lungs
Describe the CNS beginning to appear at 3 weeks
Thickening of the ectoderm anterior to primitive node - neural plate
Edges thicken and move upwards to form the neural folds
Describe the neural tube
Neural folds migrate towards towards each other and fuse to form
Initially remains open at anterior and posterior ends
Anterior (cranial) neuropore close at 25days
Posterior (caudal) neuropore close around 27days
Describe the closure of the neural tube
Initiated at several points along the AP axis and proceeds in caudal to cranial direction
Begins at day 18 and completed at 4th week (27days)
Up to 5 closure sites
What are some neural tube defects caused by failure of tube to close properly?
Anencephaly
Encephalocele
Spina Bifda
What is Exencephaly/ Anencephaly?
Is failure of anterior neuropore to close - skull fails to form and brain tissue degenerates
Is incompatible with life
1:1500 births
What is craniorachischisis?
Failure of neural tube closure along entire neuroaxis
What is Encephalocele?
1:4000 births
Herniation of cerebral tissue through defect in the skull and failure in closure of rostral neural tube
Most frequent in occipital region
What is spinal bifta?
Defective closure of the caudal neural tube and affects the tissues overlying the spinal cord
Means there is non-fusion of vertebral arches
Neural tissue may or may not be affected
Describe spinal bifta occulta
Most minor and most common
Failure of embryonic halves of vertebral arched to grow normally and fuse
Occurs in L5 and 6 vertebrae f 10% of healthy individuals
How does spinal bifta occulta present?
Usually no clinical symptoms
May result in dimple with small tuft of hair
What is spinal bifta cystica?
Protrusion of spina cord and/or meninges through the defect in the vertebral arches
1:1000 live births
What is spinal bifta with meningocele?
Rarest form
Protrusion of meninges and CSF
No neural tissue damage so good outcome
What is spinal bifta with meningomyelocele?
Nerve roots and/or spinal cord included in the sac
Neurological defects so loss of sensation and muscle paralysis
Often associated with hydrocephalus
What is spinal bifta with myeloschisis?
Most severe form
Spinal cord in affected area open due to failure of neural folds to fuse
Neurological deficits
What is causing incidence decrease in UK of neural tube defects?
Folic acid supplements
Prenatal diagnosis - Maternal blood screening, amniocentesis and ultrasound
What are the risk factors of neural tube defects?
Genetic predisposition
Nutritional - little follate, too much vitamin A
Environmental - hyperthermia, certain drugs - sodium valproate
Describe maternal blood screening and amniocentesis
Maternal - Indicated by high levels alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in serum as AFP from foetal liver leaks into amniotic fluid then maternal blood
Detected at 16-20 weeks
Amniocentesis - high levels AFP in amniotic fluid