What is the difference between myelomeningocele and meningocele

Around half of people with diastematomyelia have their spinal cord divided by an extra piece of bone or band of fibrous tissue in the spinal canal. The spinal cord can become tethered because of the extra bone or tissue. Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the bone and to free up the spinal cord detethering. People without the extra bone only occasionally develop symptoms, if the cord becomes tethered.

Diastematomyelia can occur alone, or with lipomyelomeningocoele. If you suspect that you may have spina bifida occulta and are experiencing a few of the problems described above, ask your GP to arrange to investigate.

Depending on the findings, a referral to a neurosurgeon might be appropriate. Related conditions There are a number of conditions that share features with, or are otherwise closely linked to spina bifida. Read more on related conditions. Need more help? If you need to speak with one of Shine's specialist advisers about spina bifida or hydrocephalus, call us on or click here to email us.

Related information Spina Bifida What is spina bifida? Share this page. Donate Become a member. Northern Ireland region Northern region Southern region Wales region. The test can screen for several conditions including meningomyelocele, Down syndrome , and other congenital diseases of the baby. Most women who carry a baby with neural tube defects have elevated levels of maternal alpha fetoprotein AFP. If the screen test is positive, further tests such a pregnancy ultrasound or amniocentesis can confirm the diagnosis.

This condition is typically diagnosed during early pregnancy. Some women opt to terminate the pregnancy. If you choose not to do so, your baby will most likely need surgery after birth. Prompt surgery can help protect your child from infections such as meningitis. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics as an additional measure in preventing these infections. If your child has hydrocephalus , sometimes called water on the brain, they may need to have a shunt inserted.

The shunt drains extra liquid from around the brain and reduces pressure. Your child may not develop bladder control.

If this is the case, they may need a catheter to help drain the bladder. Braces are orthopedic devices that support the legs or main part of the body.

They may also need to use a wheelchair for life. Modern treatments have lengthened the life span for people with spina bifida. The University of Northern Carolina estimates 90 percent of people with this condition live to adulthood.

Spina bifida occulta is usually found when x-rays are done for another reason. In rare cases, myelomeningocele and meningocele are not diagnosed during routine prenatal tests. The baby will be diagnosed when they are born with a bubble on their back. Babies with myelomeningocele and closed neural tube defects may have muscle weakness in their feet, hips, and legs that result in joint deformities first noticed at birth.

Mild cases of spina bifida occulta, closed neural tube defects not diagnosed during prenatal testing may be detected postnatally using ultrasound or X-ray imaging to look at the spine. Doctors may use magnetic resonance imaging MRI or a computed tomography CT scan to get a clearer view of the spinal cord and vertebrae.

To evaluate for hydrocephalus , the doctor will request a head ultrasound, CT or MRI to look for extra cerebrospinal fluid inside the brain. Treatment depends on the type of spina bifida a person has.

Myelomeningocele and meningocele require a surgery to close the bubble shortly after birth to prevent infection such as meningitis. Most people with myelomeningocele have hydrocephalus and most of them will need a shunt placed as an infant.

Children with a closed neural tube defect may need surgery to prevent further complications such as weakness and bowel and bladder function.

Generally, people with spina bifida occulta will not need any treatment. The Management of Myelomeningocele Study MOMS showed that prenatal surgery to close the defect in the spinal cord improved outcomes compared to children who had postnatal surgery for spina bifida.

Data from the study showed that prenatal surgery reduced the need to drain fluid from the brain, improved mobility, and increased the chances that a child will be able to walk independently early on. The procedure does not restore lost neurological function that happened before the surgery, but may prevent additional damage from occurring during the rest of the pregnancy.

Although prenatal surgery poses some risk to the fetus as well as to the mother, the benefits are promising and are still being studied. In treating myelomeningocele and meningocele, the key priorities are to prevent infection from developing in the exposed nerves and spinal cord through the spinal defect, and to protect the exposed nerves and spinal cord from additional trauma.

Therefore, a child born with these types of spina bifida who has not undergone prenatal surgery will have surgery to close the defect and minimize the risk of infection or further trauma within the first few days of life.

Some children with myelomeningocele and closed neural tube defects will need surgery to improve the alignment of their feet, legs, or spine. Children with myelomeningocele usually have hydrocephalus and may require surgery to help drain fluid in the brain, such as the placement of a shunt or ETV. Multiple surgeries may be required to replace the shunt, which may become clogged, infected, or disconnected.

Some individuals with myelomeningocele or closed neural tube defects require assistive devices for mobility such as braces, walkers, crutches, or wheelchairs. It can present as a cystic swelling in the skull or along the back bone. In the skull, it may present on the posterior midline, between nose and forehead, and between forehead and ethmoidal bone.

As the contents of meningocele do not contain the spinal cord or its nerves chances of spinal cord injury are rare. Cranial meningocele can cause severe complications especially if some part of brain tissue is also present. The clinical features of meningocele may include:. Meningocele can be detected by just examining the skull and back of a baby after delivery. In some situations the following tests are carried out to detect meningocele:.

The only treatment for meningocele is surgical repair which can be carried out before or after the delivery of baby. Prenatal surgical options to close meningocele include:. After birth, different options are available for surgical repair. An endoscopic endonasal approach is a minimally invasive procedure that is a good choice to close the meningocele.

Open repairs can also be performed [3]. Meningocele is a rare and less severe form of spina bifida.