title: Contiguous triple spinal dysraphism associated with Chiari malformation Type II and hydrocephalus: an embryological conundrum between the unified theory of Pang and the unified theory of McLone.
abstract: Triple spinal dysraphism is extremely rare. There are published reports of multiple discrete neural tube defects with intervening normal segments that are explained by the multisite closure theory of primary neurulation, having an association with Chiari malformation Type II consistent with the unified theory of McLone. The authors report on a 1-year-old child with contiguous myelomeningocele and lipomyelomeningocele centered on Type I split cord malformation with Chiari malformation Type II and hydrocephalus. This composite anomaly is probably due to select abnormalities of the neurenteric canal during gastrulation, with a contiguous cascading impact on both dysjunction of the neural tube and closure of the neuropore, resulting in a small posterior fossa, probably bringing the unified theory of McLone closer to the unified theory of Pang.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sivashanmugam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhandapani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Anirudh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple; D001139:Arnold-Chiari Malformation / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D007223:Infant; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D054261:Neurulation / Q000502:physiology*; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
keywords: CM-II = Chiari malformation Type II; Chiari malformation Type II; MMC = myelomeningocele; SCM = split cord malformation; congenital; contiguous triple spinal dysraphism; lipo-MMC = lipomyelomeningocele; lipomyelomeningocele; myelomeningocele; spine; split cord; unified theory of McLone; unified theory of Pang