title: Sternberg's canal--cause of congenital sphenoidal meningocele.
abstract: We present a case of a 29-year-old female complaining of right-sided watery nasal discharge. Radiological investigations identified an intrasphenoidal meningocele. The origin of the meningocele was pinpointed to the right parasellar region and was confirmed surgically. The parasellar bony defect appeared to be due to persistence of the lateral craniopharyngeal canal (Sternberg's canal). Therefore, we assume a congenital origin for the intrasphenoidal meningocele found in the patient. Acquired bony defects of the sphenoid sinus are unlikely at the fusion planes of the different sphenoid bone components. Knowledge of the complex ontogeny of the sphenoid bone is an important key to differentiating between congenital and acquired sphenoid sinus meningoceles.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT Diseases, Head, Neck and Facial Plastic Surgery, Communication Disorders, Klinikum Fulda, Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Marburg, Fulda, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brors
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prescher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008588:Meningocele / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed