Pierre-Aurelien Beuriat1, Isabelle Poirot2, Frederic Hameury3, Delphine Demede3, Kieron J Sweeney1, Alexandru Szathmari1, Federico Di Rocco1, Carmine Mottolese4. 1. Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, 32 Avenue du Doyen Jean Lépine, 69677, Lyon Cedex, France. 2. Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation l'ESCALE, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, 32 Avenue du Doyen Jean Lépine, 69677, Lyon Cedex, France. 3. Department of Urologic Surgery, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, 32 Avenue du Doyen Jean Lépine, 69677, Lyon Cedex, France. 4. Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant, 32 Avenue du Doyen Jean Lépine, 69677, Lyon Cedex, France. carmine.mottolese@chu-lyon.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Postnatal closure of a myelomeningocele remains the standard of care in many countries. The prenatal closure has given hope for decreasing the damage to the neural placode and has challenged classic management. However, this technique presents potential sources of complications. Patients with MMC with an anatomical level of L4 and below have a better functional prognosis than higher level malformations. Are they still candidates for prenatal surgery? OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcome of MMC with an anatomical level of L4 and below and discuss, with support of the literature, the indications to perform prenatal closure in this particular group of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine children were included in this observational study. The level of the vertebral malformation was sacral in 12 cases (41.4%) or lumbar (level ≤ L4) in 17 cases (58.6%). All the patients was operated postnatally for closure of the MMC with microsurgical technique as soon as possible after clinical evaluation (range 0-97 days). RESULTS: Only 11 out of 29 patients (37.9%) needed of a CSF diversion. A Chiari II malformation was present before MMC closure in 17 patients (58.6%) and only in 5 (17%) after. Twenty-six patients (89.7%) were able to walk. Seven (23%) and 16 (55%) of our patients have a normal bladder and bowel control, respectively. All school-aged children attend school. CONCLUSIONS: The functional outcome for low-level MMC is good when managed with modern microneurosurgical techniques with a low risk for the patient and the mother. Therefore, we do not suggest prenatal surgery for subgroup of infant with MM.
BACKGROUND: Postnatal closure of a myelomeningocele remains the standard of care in many countries. The prenatal closure has given hope for decreasing the damage to the neural placode and has challenged classic management. However, this technique presents potential sources of complications. Patients with MMC with an anatomical level of L4 and below have a better functional prognosis than higher level malformations. Are they still candidates for prenatal surgery? OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcome of MMC with an anatomical level of L4 and below and discuss, with support of the literature, the indications to perform prenatal closure in this particular group of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine children were included in this observational study. The level of the vertebral malformation was sacral in 12 cases (41.4%) or lumbar (level ≤ L4) in 17 cases (58.6%). All the patients was operated postnatally for closure of the MMC with microsurgical technique as soon as possible after clinical evaluation (range 0-97 days). RESULTS: Only 11 out of 29 patients (37.9%) needed of a CSF diversion. A Chiari II malformation was present before MMC closure in 17 patients (58.6%) and only in 5 (17%) after. Twenty-six patients (89.7%) were able to walk. Seven (23%) and 16 (55%) of our patients have a normal bladder and bowel control, respectively. All school-aged children attend school. CONCLUSIONS: The functional outcome for low-level MMC is good when managed with modern microneurosurgical techniques with a low risk for the patient and the mother. Therefore, we do not suggest prenatal surgery for subgroup of infant with MM.
Authors: E F Werner; C S Han; I Burd; H S Lipkind; J A Copel; M O Bahtiyar; S F Thung Journal: Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol Date: 2012-07-09 Impact factor: 7.299
Authors: E Danzer; R S Finkel; N E Rintoul; M W Bebbington; E S Schwartz; D M Zarnow; N S Adzick; M P Johnson Journal: Neuropediatrics Date: 2009-06-30 Impact factor: 1.947
Authors: Douglass B Clayton; Stacy T Tanaka; Lisa Trusler; John C Thomas; John C Pope; Mark C Adams; John W Brock Journal: J Urol Date: 2011-10 Impact factor: 7.450
Authors: Renate J Verbeek; Axel Heep; Natalia M Maurits; Reinhold Cremer; Eelco W Hoving; Oebele F Brouwer; Johannes H van der Hoeven; Deborah A Sival Journal: Dev Med Child Neurol Date: 2011-11-29 Impact factor: 5.449
Authors: N Scott Adzick; Elizabeth A Thom; Catherine Y Spong; John W Brock; Pamela K Burrows; Mark P Johnson; Lori J Howell; Jody A Farrell; Mary E Dabrowiak; Leslie N Sutton; Nalin Gupta; Noel B Tulipan; Mary E D'Alton; Diana L Farmer Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2011-02-09 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Nora G Lee; Pablo Gomez; Vikrant Uberoi; Paul J Kokorowski; Shahram Khoshbin; Stuart B Bauer; Carlos R Estrada Journal: J Urol Date: 2012-08-20 Impact factor: 7.450