Core Terms & Classification
Pedicle (encephalocele stalk)
The pedicle, or stalk, is the neck of tissue connecting the encephalocele sac to the inside of the skull through the bony opening.
In short: Pedicle (encephalocele stalk)
- Surgeons address the pedicle when repairing the defect.
- Its size and contents help describe the lesion.
- It is the connection between the sac and the intracranial cavity.
- It may contain membranes, fluid, or brain tissue.
What it is
It is the connecting neck between the protruding sac and the brain cavity. The pedicle passes through the bony opening and links the external (or internal) sac to the inside of the skull.
Understanding Pedicle (encephalocele stalk)
During repair, the surgeon evaluates the pedicle and its contents, returns or removes tissue as appropriate, and then closes the dura and bone. The narrowness or width of the pedicle is part of the surgical assessment, as is whether it carries functional brain tissue. A narrow pedicle carrying only membranes is generally simpler to address than a broad one carrying brain tissue.
Why it matters
Understanding the pedicle helps families picture how the sac connects to the brain and why surgery involves more than removing an external bulge. The contents of the pedicle are part of what determines the complexity of the repair.
Common questions
What is the pedicle?
The stalk connecting the sac to the inside of the skull.
Does the pedicle contain tissue?
It may contain membranes, fluid, or brain tissue.
Why does the pedicle matter in surgery?
Its size and contents affect the complexity of the repair.
Bottom line
The pedicle is the stalk linking the encephalocele sac to the brain cavity, managed during surgical repair.
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