CS: Hydranencephaly and allied disorders: a study of cerebral defects in Chinese children. Arch Dis Child

It is proposed to present 11 cases of cerebral defect. Six of these can be classed as hydran-encephaly, the others show varying degrees of cerebral mantle tissue loss. The diagnosis and aetiology of these defects will be discussed and pictorial evidence produced to show that hydran-encephaly is probably the end result of a graduated series of cerebral cortical defects. Hydranencephaly is defined by Potter (1952) as 'an abnormality consisting of a complete or almost complete absence of the cerebral hemispheres. The leptomeninges and dura are completely formed occupying their normal positions in the skull'. Although Bettinger (1940) attributes the name of the condition to Cruveilhier (1835), and although th