ECCHORDOSIS PHYSALIPHORA SPHENO-OCCIPITALIS

Abstract

THE occurrencc of small, transparent, jelly-like nodules projecting into the interior of the skull from the middle of the clivus blumenbachii (dorsum sellae) was first described by Luschka 2 in 1856. In the following year Virchow 8 gave a detailed and illustrated account of the condition to which he applied the term " Ecchondrosis physalifora," in the belief that the protrusions were of cartilaginous origin and nature. Mifller 3 (1858) first suggested a notochor(lal origin, and adduced important embr--yological and anatomical evidence in support of this view, but it w,as not until nearly fortv years later that Ribbert 4 (1894), 5 (1895), brought forwNard the final proof of the theory. In addition to studying a series of fivc cases of spheno-occipital ecchon(drosis (as it was still called), and (Irawing important conclusions therefrom, he successfully reproduced the condition in rabbits by puncture of the intervertebral discs. This was followed by hernia of the nucleus pulposus, and the nodule of tissue so formed showed evidence of cellular proliferation after a time, and a definite increase in size. After a year it had becomie