Rachischisis is a neural tube defect characterised by a complete or severe defect in the spine. The defect can be located anywhere from the cervical region to the sacrum, or through the entire length of the spine. Typical defects are clefts or splits that open the spine to the exterior environment. Rachischisis occurs around 3–4 weeks after conception when the posterior neuropore of the neural tube does not close completely. It is a multifactorial aetiology and is most typically accompanied by other defects. Rachischisis is often described as a severe form of spina bifida, with the spine not only being exposed to the exterior environment, but with the opening being large enough to allow the neural plate to spread out of the opening and to the surface. Treatment
Rachischisis is a severe condition and survival rates for fetuses are extremely low. Babies that are born with the condition have high mortality rates and extreme developmental defects. Fetuses with the condition often spontaneously abort. Babies that are born with rachischisis are stillborn or die within a few hours to a few days of birth. Typically, medical termination of pregnancy is presented as an option to the mother once a diagnosis of rachischisis has been confirmed. As the condition is often accompanied by other deformities that not only need to be treated themselves, but also complicate the condition of rachischisis, it is difficult to treat fetuses affected.
Gustatory hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating classified under focal hyperhidrosis, that is, it is restricted to certain regions of the body. Affected people regularly experience this on the forehead (scalp), upper lip, perioral region, or sternum a few moments after eating spicy foods, tomato sauce, chocolate, coffee, tea, or hot soups.A common cause is trauma or damage to the nerve that passes through the parotid gland, which can be due to surgery of the parotid gland (parotidectomy). This type of sweating is known as Freys syndrome. Gustatory hyperhidrosis has been observed in diabetics with autonomic neuropathy, and a variant of this disorder has been reported following surgical sympathectomy.Around 10% of affected people require treatment. One of the more effective treatments is oral or topically applied glycopyrrolate. == References ==