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Sacral Agenesis
Background
The sacrum is a bone at the base of the spinal column that is formed following the fusion of five vertebrae. It lies in the region of the buttocks and just below it is another small series of bones called the coccyx. The presence of the sacrum gives rise to the normal rounded contour of the buttocks and the shape of the pelvis. Nerves from the spinal cord pass through a bony canal within the sacrum and exit the sacrum in a number of places to provide nerve supply to the bowel and the anal sphincters, the bladder and the bladder sphincters and, also, to the muscles and sensory organs in the lower limbs. Sacral agenesis is a condition that exists when either part or all of the sacrum is absent. It is possible for two of the five sacral segments to be absent without causing problems with the nerve supply. However, if three or more of the sacral segments are absent, it is probable that there will be some abnormality of the nerves coming out of the sacrum.
