Diseases

Meningomyelocele

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Meningomyelocele, also commonly known as myelomeningocele, is a type of spina bifida. Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spinal canal and the backbone don't close before the baby is born. This type of birth defect is also called a neural tube defect.

SYMPTOMS

A baby with meningomyelocele is born with the spinal cord exposed. A sac on the baby’s mid to lower back may cover the exposed spinal cord.
The exact symptoms and their severity depend on your child’s particular case. Meningomyelocele is often very severe, because the spinal cord has usually not developed properly and the brain is usually affected.
Abnormalities in the spinal cord often cause problems in leg, bladder, and bowel function. Some children might lose complete control of their bladder or bowel. Their legs may be partially or completely paralyzed or lack sensation. In other children, these body parts and their functions are only mildly affected.

Other possible symptoms include:

orthopedic deformities
hydrocephalus (buildup of fluid in the skull that leads to swelling of the brain)
chiari malformation (structural defects in the part of the brain that controls balance)
Because the spinal cord is exposed, a child with meningomyelocele is at risk of developing bacterial meningitis.

CAUSES

Doctors don’t know exactly why this condition occurs. It’s possible that a lack of folic acid before and during early pregnancy impairs the development of the spinal cord. The condition may also be partly genetic. In many cases, however, there is no family connection.