A fetus with an encephalocele and all of the following findings has a good prognosis:
(1) isolated encephalocele (one that is not complicated, see below)
(2) the encephalocele sac contains only CSF or a small "nubbin" of neural tissue
(3) normal-sized brain without other significant anomalies (not complicated, see below)
(4) normal head circumference (neither microcephaly nor hydrocephalus)
A complicated encephalocele has at least one other congenital abnormality. This may be either:
(1) in the brain (microcephaly, Dandy-Walker malformation, Arnold-Chiari malformation, abnormal cerebellum, ventriculomegaly, hydrocephalus, etc), or
(2) in another organ (cleft palate, talipes, diaphragmatic hernia, heart defect, etc.).
