Is myelomeningocele the same as spina bifida?

When people talk about spina bifida, most often they are referring to myelomeningocele. Myelomeningocele is the most serious type of spina bifida. With this condition, a sac of fluid comes through an opening in the baby’s back. Part of the spinal cord and nerves are in this sac and are damaged.

What are the 4 types of spina bifida?

What are the types of spina bifida? There are four types of spina bifida: occulta, closed neural tube defects, meningocele, and myelomeningocele.

Are myelomeningocele and Meningomyelocele the same?

Meningomyelocele, also commonly known as myelomeningocele, is a type of spina bifida. Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spinal canal and the backbone don’t close before the baby is born. This type of birth defect is also called a neural tube defect.

How does a meningocele different from myelomeningocele?

With meningoceles, the spinal cord has developed normally and is undamaged. The child has no neurological problems. Myelomeningocele is the most severe form of spina bifida, occurring nearly once for every 1,000 live births.

What protrudes from the baby’s back in myelomeningocele?

Myelomeningocele is a neural tube defect in which the bones of the spine do not completely form. This results in an incomplete spinal canal. The spinal cord and meninges protrude from the child’s back.

What is the meaning of Meningomyelocele?

Meningomyelocele: Protrusion of the membranes that cover the spine but some of the spinal cord itself through a defect in the bony encasement of the vertebral column. The bony defect is spina bifida.

What is the difference between spina bifida occulta and spina bifida Cystica?

Meningocele and myelomeningocele may be grouped as spina bifida cystica. The most common location is the lower back, but in rare cases it may be in the middle back or neck. Occulta has no or only mild signs, which may include a hairy patch, dimple, dark spot or swelling on the back at the site of the gap in the spine.

Why does myelomeningocele cause hydrocephalus?

This causes the brain to be positioned further down into the upper spinal column than normal, which is called an Arnold Chiari II malformation. When this happens, the normal flow of fluid out of the brain is obstructed, causing Hydrocephalus, an excess of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain.

What does a sacral dimple mean?

A sacral dimple is a small indentation (dent) in the lower back, near the crease of the buttocks. It is a congenital condition, meaning it is there when the baby is born. Most sacral dimples do not cause any health issues. In some cases, a sacral dimple can be a sign of an underlying spinal problem.

Is AFP elevated in spina bifida occulta?

Most studies on the prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida have focused upon open spina bifida, which is associated with an increased concentration of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in amniotic fluid and maternal serum and with typical cranial signs at the sonographic examination2–5.

How do you treat myelomeningocele?

How is it treated? Most cases of myelomeningocele are treated surgically with a repair soon after birth. In some cases, the repair is done while still in the womb prior to delivery. Children that have hydrocephalus will likely require surgery to decrease fluid on the brain (VP shunt).

What is the underlying pathophysiology of myelomeningocele?

Myelomeningocele. Also known as open spina bifida, myelomeningocele is the most severe type. The spinal canal is open along several vertebrae in the lower or middle back. The membranes and spinal nerves push through this opening at birth, forming a sac on the baby’s back, typically exposing tissues and nerves.

Does high afp always mean spina bifida?

It’s normal for a small amount of AFP to cross the placenta and enter the mother’s bloodstream. But unusually high levels of AFP suggest that the baby has a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida, though high levels of AFP don’t always occur in spina bifida.

Why is AFP high in spina bifida?

A small amount of AFP is normally found in amniotic fluid. However, when an open neural tube defect is present, the amniotic fluid contains an elevated amount of AFP because the skin surrounding the baby’s spine is gone and AFP leaks into the amniotic sac.

What is a maternal serum AFP?

AFP is a protein normally made by the baby’s liver. It is found in the fluid surrounding the baby in the womb (amniotic fluid). AFP goes through the placenta into the mother’s blood. The AFP blood test is called MSAFP (maternal serum AFP). The AFP can also be measured in the amniotic fluid.

What is considered a high AFP level?

An AFP level between 10 ng/mL to 20 ng/mL is normal for adults. An extremely high level of AFP in your blood—greater than 400 ng/mL—could be a sign of liver tumors. High levels of AFP may mean other cancers, including Hodgkin disease, lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

Can AFP test be wrong?

In a nonpregnant adult, alpha-fetoprotein is not normally present. AFP test results can be abnormal, even when nothing is wrong with the baby.

How accurate is AFP Screening?

75% to 90% of babies with neural tube #defects are discovered through AFP screening. Abnormal test results warrant additional testing for making a diagnosis.