Presacral meningocele in thalidomide-induced embryopathy

A now 27-year-old man, known to have a thalidomide embryopathy with multiple malformations, including a sacral deformity, developed in the course of a few weeks a disorder of bladder emptying, colicky lower abdominal pain and, finally, abnormal stools. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an anterior sacral meningocele, confirmed by computed tomography with intrathecal contrast medium injection. After surgical removal of the meningocele all bladder and rectal disorders disappeared. The course of the disease and the radiological findings are typical of a space-occupying anterior sacral meningocele.