lipomyelomeningocele

lipomyelomeningocele

(lip″ō-mī″ĕ-lō-me-ning′ŏ-sēl″) [ lipo- + myelomeningocele] A rare defect in which a fatty tumor grows from beneath the surface of the skin of the lower back toward the spinal cord, compressing and tethering the cord in place instead of allowing it to move freely in the cerebrospinal fluid. The condition is usually identified in childhood. The fat mass can damage motor and sensory function in the lower part of the body and cause bowel and bladder problems.