Spina bifida in adults and children - causes, types, treatment

Spina bifida in adults and children - causes, types, treatment

Cleft spine in adults and children, treatment

Spina bifida is a congenital pathology, which consists in the underdevelopment of the brackets and/or bodies of the vertebrae, due to which a defect is formed in the wall of the spinal canal. A hernia of the spinal cord can form due to such a defect. Most often, the problem occurs in the lumbosacral region and is diagnosed in 20% of all cases of split spine.

Causes of pathology development

Cleft spine in the fetus begins to form in the third week of intrauterine development. Factors that can provoke the development of an anomaly are:

  • burdened heredity;
  • intrauterine infections (rubella, cytomegalovirus, etc.);
  • uncontrolled use of medicines by a pregnant woman;
  • insufficient amount of folic acid in the body of a pregnant woman;
  • constant intoxication - with drug addiction and alcoholism of a pregnant woman.

Often, a woman does not know about pregnancy in the early stages, so she can continue to drink, smoke, use drugs, not treat infectious pathologies in a timely manner, which creates prerequisites for the occurrence of abnormalities in the development of the fetus - in particular, the formation of the spine.

Types of spina bifida

There are two types of congenital malformations of the spine - hidden and open. In the first case, minor bone defects occur randomly, a spinal hernia is not formed. The pathology may not manifest itself for many years, the hidden type of spina bifida in adults is discovered by chance - during preventive examinations or during examination for other diseases.

The open form of the disease is diagnosed immediately after the birth of the child - the keel sac can be visually determined, which is able to exert strong pressure on the spinal cord. Myelomeningocele is the most severe form of spina bifida in a newborn - a defect of the vertebrae with complete loss of the segment of the spinal cord with membranes, which is accompanied by eversion and expansion of the spinal canal. If there is non-inclusion of the spinal cord or skin, while the spinal cord is visually identified through the opening, then a fatal outcome is inevitable.

Treatment of spina bifida

The open type of this anomaly requires surgical treatment in the first days after the birth of the child. During the operation, which is carried out by neurosurgeons, they perform an incision of the keel sac, exercise the spinal cord, and eliminate the cosmetic defect of the vertebrae. If damage to the keel sac and leakage of cerebrospinal fluid is diagnosed, the operation is performed urgently with minimal preoperative preparation.

Due to redistribution of cerebrospinal fluid in the postoperative period, hydrocephalus may occur.

In the postoperative period, it is also possible to join the infection, which slows down the healing process, so the child is prescribed antibacterial therapy. In the late postoperative period, massage and physical therapy are performed.

On our website https://dobrobut.com/ you can make an appointment with experienced doctors and learn about how to reduce your risk during consultations development of the anomaly at the stage of pregnancy planning.

Updated: 04.04.2025
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Doctors who advise on this issue:
24experience (y.)
Liubchenko Ihor Anatoliiovych
Liubchenko Ihor Anatoliiovych
A general practitioner is a family doctor; Physician
19experience (y.)
Patlan Svitlana Mykolaivna
Patlan Svitlana Mykolaivna
A general practitioner is a family doctor; Pediatrician; Physician
33experience (y.)
Bilga Svitlana Stepanivna
Bilga Svitlana Stepanivna
Pediatrician

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