Spina Bifida Cystica (Subscribe)  

PURPOSE: Modern principles for treatment of patients with myelomeningocele include early closure of the neural tube defect, neurosurgical treatment of hydrocephalus and treatment aimed at minimizing contractures and joint dislocations. The aim is to achieve a better survival rate and a better quality of life (QOL). Better ambulatory function is...

Congenital Kyphosis Myelomeningocele

Carlos Villanueva Spain Web Archive copy last posted 2005

Goals of orthopaedic management are

• Straight spine, legs and feet
• Mobile hips
• Pull-to or swing through gait
• Maximum possible sefl sufficiency

West J Med 121:281-291 1974

Radiology case 338-1452 Clinical presentation: Young adult female with a large head and in a wheel chair.
There are symmetrical defects in the ilia. The lumbar canal is widened at its lower end with the increased interpedicular distance just visible in this view. A wide defect visible in the bone density of...

Author: Kat Kolaski, MD, Assistant Professor, Departments of Orthopedics and Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Myelomeningocele is a complex congenital spinal anomaly that causes varying degrees of spinal cord malformation, or myelodysplasia. It is commonly referred to as spina bifida and is classified as a defect of the neural...

scoliosis in myelomenigocele may have a multifactorial etiology:
- idiopathic causes;
- myelomeningocele structural defect;
- congenital...

- Discussion of Myelodysplasia
- Spinal Deformities
- Lower Extremity
- hip in myelomeningocele:
- fractures:
- myelodysplastic knee:
- foot deformities in myelomeningocele:

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Definition
Neural tube defects can be grouped under the following terms
Spina bifida - Congential spinal disorder where the two halves of posterior arches fail to fuse leading to bony abnormality
Spinal dysraphism - Failure of the neural tube to close
Myelodysplasia - Any developmental defect of the spinal cord

- Spina Bifida refers to a local failure of primordia of the two laminae to unite leaves vertebral canal open dorsally (spinal rachischisis, or spina bifida);
- dorsal body wall may or may not be intact...

Spinal dysraphism can be classified as closed forms or open forms, which include myelocele, meningocele, and myelomeningocele. These open forms are often associated with hydrocephalus and Arnold-Chiari malformation type II and may be classified as spina bifida aperta. Von Recklinghausen (1886) gave a detailed account of spina bifida cystica (aperta)....

We report the results of a prospective study of the surgical release of 45 knee flexion contractures in 28 patients with myelomeningocele... We conclude that surgical release of knee flexion contractures in myelomeningocele improves gait in all children who walk, particularly those with low lumbar lesions. Recurrence of knee flexion...

most common foot deformity in myelomeningocele;
- teratological club-foot deformity in children w/ myelomeningocele is often more severe and more rigid than seen in congenital club foot deformity;
- secondary foot deformities may...