Spina Bifida: Clinical and Therapeutic Study

Spina bifida (SB) is a congenital malformation caused by a failure of the neural tube to close; its most severe form is myelomeningocele (MM). It poses a challenge for therapeutic management due to associated malformations, primarily hydrocephalus, which affects the prognosis for psychomotor development. Our series of 176 patients showed a predominance of females, with a sex ratio of 0.64. The median age was 6 months. Maternal risk factors were dominated by multiparity (71.8%) and consanguinity (69.9%). We included 92 cases of myelomeningocele (52.3%), 58 cases of meningocele (32.9%), 14 cases of spinolipoma (7.9%), 11 dermal sinuses, 1 isolated tethered cord (0.5%), and 1 diastematomyelia (0.5%). Patients presented with motor deficits in 44% of cases and sphincter dysfunction in 37 patients (56.1%). Hydrocephalus was found in 58.7% of cases. Primary prevention with folic acid and monitoring of high-risk pregnancies are necessary. Multidisciplinary management is essential.

Pages: 120, Paperback, Our Knowledge Publishing