Porencephaly

Porencephaly is an extremely rare cephalic disorder involving encephalomalacia. It is a neurological disorder of the central nervous system characterized with cysts or cavities within the cerebral hemisphere. Porencephaly was termed by Heschl in 1859 to describe a cavity in the human brain. The cysts and cavities are usually the result of destructive lesions but can also be from abnormal development. Developmental abnormalities, direct damage, inflammation, or hemorrhage can cause cystic brain lesions. The cysts and cavities cause a wide range of physiological, physical, and neurological symptoms. Depending on the patient, this disorder may cause only minor neurological problems, without any disruption on intelligence, while others may be severely disabled or face death before the second decade of their lives. However, the disorder is far more common within infants, and porencephaly can occur in both before or after birth.