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Spina bifida is a Latin name meaning "split spine".
Spina bifida is one of the most common birth defects, with an average worldwide incidence of 1-2 cases per 1000 births,
but certain populations have a significantly greater risk.
In the United States, the average incidence is 0.7 per 1000 live births. The highest incidence rates worldwide were found
in Ireland and Wales.
Parents of children with Spina Bifida have an increased risk of having a second child with a neural tube defect.
Note: If you have Spina Bifida, and are pregnant or are thinking of trying for a baby, taking a multi vitamin with folic acid
can help lower the chances of your having a child with Spina Bifida.
Although I must also strongly state that folic acid supplements are NOT a cure, nor a guaranteed preventative, even with
folic acid supplementation you can still have a child with Spina Bifida.
The most common location of the malformations is the lumbar and sacral areas of the spinal cord. The lumbar nerves control
the muscles in the hip, leg, knee and foot, and help to keep the body erect. The sacral nerves control some of the muscles
in the feet, bowel and urinary bladder, and the ability to have an erection. Some degree of impairment can be expected in
these areas, resulting in varying degrees of paralysis, absence of skin sensation, and poor or absent bowel and/or bladder
control, curvature of the spine (scoliosis), depending on the severity and location of the lesion damage on the spine.
There is no cure for nerve damage due to spina bifida. To prevent further damage of the nervous tissue and to prevent infection,
pediatric neurosurgeons operate to close the opening on the back. During the operation, the spinal cord and its nerve roots
are put back inside the spine and covered with meninges. In addition, a shunt may be surgically installed to provide a continuous
drain for the cerebrospinal fluid produced in the brain, as happens with hydrocephalus. Shunts most commonly drain into the
abdomen.
Most individuals with myelomeningocele will need periodic evaluations by specialists including orthopedists to check on their
bones and muscles, neurosurgeons to evaluate the brain and spinal cord and urologists for the kidneys and bladder. Such care
is best begun immediately after birth.
Some individuals will require braces, crutches, walkers or wheelchairs to maximize their mobility. The higher the level
of the spina bifida defect the more severe the paralysis. Thus, those with low levels may need only short leg braces while
those with higher levels do best with a wheelchair.
Many will need to manage their bladders with a program of catheterization, and may need medications to improve their dryness.
Most will also require some sort of bowel management program.
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