Open myelomeningocele--a ten-year review of 200 consecutive closures.

An unselected series of 200 consecutive closures of open myelomeningocele is reported with reviews of the survivors at 5 and 10 years. Assessment of the child's ability to fit into society can be made reasonably accurately at 5 years. Urinary tract problems in older children have not been so prominent as expected. Twenty-six out of 106 10-year-olds had normal micturition. Social problems seem likely to outweigh surgical ones in the teenage survivors.