Abstract

Encephalocele and nasal glioma are rare, benign congenital neuroectodennal tumors which result from a failure of embryologic sepearation of neuroectodermal and ectodemlal tissues. Nasal glioma should be differentiated from a true glioma, and from a primary encephalocele, which is a herniation of the cranial contents through a bony defect in the skull. For this reason, nasal cerebral heterotopia is a preferred term. We report an unusual case of a nasal mass that was histologically indistinguishable from nasal cerebral heterotopia but proved to be connected to the skull base by fibrotic cord. The patient was a 2 year old girl who had had a slow growing palpable mass in the left epicanthal area for three months.

• Keywords: Nasal cavity;Brain;heterotopia;Nasal glioma