Open spina bifida
The two forms of spina bifida are spina bifida occulta
(Lipoma, Dermal sinus and thickened filum terminale).
Treatment
Case series
A cohort of fetuses with open spina bifida (OSB) who underwent open surgery in two fetal surgery centers (Argentina and Mexico). Two groups were defined based on the gestational age (GA) at intervention: MOMS time window group: GA 19+0 -25+6 , and late intervention group: GA 26+0 -27+6 .
Intrauterine Fetoscopic Myelomeningocele Repair was successfully performed in 140 cases, either before (n=57) or after (n=83) 26 weeks, at on average 25.0 (22.9-25.9) and 26.8 (22.9-25.9) weeks, respectively. There were no significant differences in the rate of premature rupture of membranes, chorioamnionitis, oligohydramnios, preterm delivery, perinatal death and maternal complications. The late intervention group showed a significantly lower surgical times (112.6 vs. 124.2 min, p=0.01), lower interval between fetal surgery and delivery (7.9 vs. 9.2 weeks, p<0.01) and similar rate of hydrocephalus requiring treatment (30.6% vs. 23.3%, p=0.44) than the MOMS time window group.
Late fetal surgery for OSB repair between 26+0 -27+6 weeks is feasible and was associated with similar outcomes than that performed before 26 weeks. These findings may allow an extension of the proposed time window for cases with late diagnosis or referral 1).
1983
Martinez-Lage et al. report the case of an infant who presented with an epidermoid tumor contained in a lumbosacral myelomeningocele. The association of spina bifida aperta and congenital intraspinal tumors is rare. Only two cases of teratoma and two cases of epidermoid tumors arising within a meningocele have been documented previously 2).