Baumgardner had performed a dozen surgeries for encephaloceles in his career, but with a 6-inch growth rising from the top of her head, covered partially by scalp and a thin membrane, Abigail's clearly was a severe case.
22.
The doomsday predictions began when Elizabeth, now 19, was three months pregnant : Doctors detected the encephalocele through an ultrasound and warned that the pregnancy probably would end in a miscarriage; they recommended that she have an abortion, as is common in such a case.
23.
At least ?of syrinxes occur in patients with congenital abnormalities of the craniocervical junction ( e . g . herniation of cerebellar tissue into the spinal canal, called Chiari malformation ), brain ( e . g . encephalocele ), or spinal cord ( e . g . myelomeningocele see Congenital Neurologic Anomalies : Brain Anomalies ).
