Sacral Dimple
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A sacral dimple (also termed pilonidal dimple or spinal dimple) is a small depression in the skin, located just above the
buttocks The buttocks (singular: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed ...
. The name comes from the
sacrum The sacrum (plural: ''sacra'' or ''sacrums''), in human anatomy, is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine that forms by the fusing of the sacral vertebrae (S1S5) between ages 18 and 30. The sacrum situates at the upper, back part ...
, the bone at the end of the spine, over which the
dimples A dimple, also called a gelasin (, ) is a small natural indentation in the flesh on a part of the human body, most notably in the cheek. Numerous cultures believe that cheek dimples are a good luck charm that entices people who perceive them as ...
are found. A sacral dimple is defined as a midline dimple less than 5 mm in diameter and no further than 2.5 cm from the anus without associated visible drainage or hairy tuft. Sacral dimples are common benign congenital anomalies found in up to 4% of the population. Kucera, J. N., Coley, I., O’Hara, S., Kosnik, E. J., & Coley, B. D. (2015). The simple sacral dimple: diagnostic yield of ultrasound in neonates. Pediatric Radiology, 45(2), 211–216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3110-1 Other common benign congenital anomalies include supernumerary digits, third nipples and natal teeth. Wu, W., & Kamat, D. (2020). A Review of Benign Congenital Anomalies. Pediatric Annals, 49(2), e66–e70. https://doi.org/10.3928/19382359-20200121-03 Most sacaral dimple cases are minor and do not relate to any underlying medical problem, but some can result from disease, notably
spina bifida Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, me ...
. If so, this is usually the
spina bifida occulta Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, m ...
form, which is the least serious kind. A sacral dimple could also indicate a
kidney The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood ...
problem of a kind that can be checked with an
ultrasound Ultrasound is sound waves with frequency, frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing range, hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hea ...
. Sacral dimples are often spotted in post-natal checks by
pediatrician Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...
s, who can check: * whether the floor of the dimple is covered with skin; * whether there is a tuft of hair in the dimple; * whether there are potentially related problems such as weak lower limbs; * the distance from the buttocks to the dimple (closer is better).


Classification

Sacral dimples were selected for one study by the ICD9CM code of 685.1.


See also

*
Dimples of Venus The dimples of Venus (also known as back dimples, Duffy Dimples, butt dimples or Veneral dimples) are sagittally symmetrical indentations sometimes visible on the human lower back, just superior to the gluteal cleft. They are directly superfici ...
*
Pilonidal sinus Pilonidal disease is a type of skin infection which typically occurs as a cyst Intergluteal cleft, between the cheeks of the buttocks and often at the upper end. Symptoms may include pain, swelling, and redness. There may also be drainage of flui ...


References

Back anatomy Congenital disorders Cutaneous lesion {{medical-stub