Successful surgery for newborn with spinal cord hernia

GĐXH - A 3-day-old newborn (weighing 3.1 kg, in Dien Bien ) with congenital myelomeningocele with complications has just been successfully treated by doctors of the Neurosurgery Department, E Hospital.

Master, Doctor Bui Minh Thang, Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital E, said that the child was diagnosed with myelomeningocele from the 20th week of pregnancy but there was no intervention.

After the mother gave birth at Dien Bien Provincial Hospital, the spinal cord herniation in the child's back ruptured. The child received initial medical care and was quickly transferred to E Hospital in a state of having a 4x5 cm subcutaneous spinal cord herniation, which ruptured and led to inflammation, accompanied by symptoms of multiple malformations such as: large head, dilated cranial sutures, bulging fontanelle, clubfoot, reduced mobility of both legs, and neurogenic bladder.

“This is a case of complex myelomeningocele when the spinal cord and nerves protrude outside the spinal canal, the herniated mass has ruptured, requiring emergency treatment and requiring coordination between specialties such as neurosurgery, anesthesia, pediatrics, and urology surgery to consult and choose the best treatment plan for the child” - Dr. Thang shared more.

Doctors from the Neurosurgery Department performed emergency surgery to re-insert the spinal cord and nerves into the spinal canal, create a spinal cord membrane, and create a skin flap for the child. One week later, the child had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and bladder drainage to treat the hydrocephalus and neurogenic bladder. After surgery, the child gradually regained consciousness, was able to breastfeed regularly, and had his head size return to normal, with no signs of infection. The child is currently being monitored, cared for post-operatively, and is practicing rehabilitation for his lower limbs and bladder function.

Dr. Thang explained that myelomeningocele is a serious birth defect that occurs when the neural tube does not close properly during the fetal period, causing the spinal cord and nerves to protrude. Complications of the disease lead to neurological dysfunction causing limb paralysis, bladder dysfunction, hydrocephalus, affecting the physical and intellectual development of the child, and can even be life-threatening with serious complications if not resolved early. Some known causes include: abnormalities in gene activity, folic acid deficiency, the mother having the flu or taking certain medications in the first three months of pregnancy.

Doctors recommend that this disease can be completely diagnosed before birth by ultrasound, blood tests and fetal MRI. Early diagnosis plays an important role in monitoring, intervention and developing appropriate treatment regimens, helping to improve the prognosis for children after birth. However, treating the disease right from the fetal stage is still a big challenge for current medicine. Therefore, screening and regular check-ups during pregnancy are very important, helping to detect abnormalities early, increasing the chance of timely intervention, ensuring the health of both mother and baby.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/phau-thuat-thanh-cong-tre-so-sinh-mac-di-tat-thoat-vi-tuy-mang-tuy-172250304101213757.htm