Sacral dimple

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A sacral dimple or pilonidal dimple is a small hole located just above the buttocks. The name comes from the sacrum, the bone at the end of the spine, over which the dimples are found. More than 2% of babies may have such dimples; almost all of these are very minor. However, it may be a sign of Spina bifida: even so this is usually the spina bifida occulta form which is the least serious kind. Sacral dimples are usually spotted in post-natal checks by a pediatrician, who will check:
  • Can the bottom of the dimple be seen to be covered with skin? If not, it may be that the neural tube is not completely closed.
  • Is there a tuft of hair in the dimple? This may also indicate problems.
  • Are there any other problems in the examination of the baby, such as weak lower limbs.
  • How close to the buttocks is the dimple? The lower, the better.


    • Next Page


    This article is based on an article from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and is available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
    In the Wikipedia there is a list with all authors of this article available.