Myelomeningocele Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Myelomeningocele is the most extensive form of spina bifida and happens when the spinal cord is coming out of the spine through an opening, which normally results in complete or partial paralysis of the baby's body below the opening. The paralysis may in some cases be so dramatic that the baby is unable to have normal bowel and urinary function.

Symptoms of myelomeningocele are:

Loss of sensation - either partial loss or complete
Paralysis to the lower parts of the body - either partial or complete loss
Absence of bowel and urinary functions
Clubfoot or other abnormalities in legs or feet
Hydrocephalus - fluid buildup inside the skull
Dimpling or hair in the sacral region

Treatment for myelomeningocele consists of:

1. In some instances if the traumatic birth defect is noted early enough in pregnancy, abortion of the fetus may be considered.

2. If the birth defect is not found early enough or abortion is not an option the baby will have to undergo surgery after birth to repair the problem as soon as possible. The baby must be handled very carefully before surgery to hopefully limit any risk spinal cord damage. Protective devices may be included in the infant's care before surgery.

3. A shunt to drain any buildup of fluid may need to be placed in any children who also have hydrocephalus.

4. Antibiotic medications may be needed to prevent or treat any inflammations or infections such as UTI's or meningitis.

If spinal damage occurs, the majority of infants require treatment for the rest of their lives.

Most children will have to be examined regularly throughout their lives, in order to evaluate the child's progress and development. The evaluations will also be needed in order to treat any neurological or physical issues that may arise from the spinal damage.

Causes of myelomeningocele consist of:

Usually in the first month of a normal pregnancy the backbone joins together in order to cover the spinal cord, nerves and tissues that cover the cord, however this form of birth defect involves a incomplete spinal closure during this portion of pregnancy.

Myelomeningocele is a neural tube type birth defect, which because of the incomplete closure causes the spinal cord and tissues to stick out of the back of the infant.

Myelomeningocele is not a common form of spina bifida, however if a child is born with the disease the family is at a much higher risk to have other children with the disease.

It is thought that a low level of folic acid in a woman before and early on in pregnancy may play a part in this type of birth defect. Folic acid is crucial in spinal cord and brain development.

References for this article include: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001558.htm
fetus.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/spina_bifida/
www.seattlechildrens.org/medical-conditions/chromosomal-genetic-conditions/myelomeningocele