A myelomeningocele with spina bifida in the thoracic region is a relatively rare, congenital anomaly. This case, which we have experienced recently, is reported with a review of the literatures.
Meningomyelocele* ; Spinal Dysraphism

No abstract available.
Arnold-Chiari Malformation* ; Meningomyelocele*

The authors report a case of thoracic meningomyelocele. The patient had not have any presenting symptoms until adult age. We confirmed it with radiological(postmyelography CT and MRI) and pathological diagnosis. Pre-, post- and intraoperative SSEP(somatosensory evoked potential) monitoring were performed. Characteristically, the mass contained accessory cord which attached to inner cyst wall with multiple fibrous bands. Meningomyelocele was completely removed without any neurologic sequelae.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Meningomyelocele*

No abstract available.
Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Humans ; Meningomyelocele*

The Currarino triad is a unique complex of congenital anomalies including anorectal malformation, scral bonyabnormality, and presacral mass. The usual symptomatology is constipation due to anorectal stenosis. Threepatients with this triad confirmed by surgical operation during recent two yeas in Seoul National Universitychildren's Hospital were presented with a brief review of clinical features, unique radiologic appearance andpostulated pathophysiology. The presacral mass was a mature teratoma in the first patient, alipomyelomeningocele-epidermoid inclusion cyst in the second patient, and myelomeningocele in the third patient. Acorrect diagnosis of the Currarino triad by radiologists is important, and may help the phsicians to investigatedetailed family history and associated anomalies and to establish adequate surgical plans.
Constipation ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Meningomyelocele ; Seoul ; Teratoma

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of surgery time on prognosis of newborns with meningomyelocele. METHODS: The records of neonates with meningomyelocele were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical characteristics as well as information, timing of surgery, and durations of hospital stay and antibiotic therapy were recorded. RESULTS: The records of 30 babies were included in the final analysis. Overall, the mean gestational age was 37.7+/-2.7 weeks, with a mean birth weight of 2967+/-755 g and head circumference of 35.8+/-3.8 cm. In terms of localization, 46.6% of the meningomyeloceles were lumbosacral, 40% were lumbar, 10% were thoracolumbar and 3.3% were thoracal. The mean size of the meningomyelocele sacs was 4.33+/-1.2 cm. Newborns underwent surgery on average of 8.2+/-5.9 days after birth, with an overall mean duration of hospital stay of 30+/-25.1 days. Patients were divided into two groups based on timing of surgery (group 1, < or =5 days; group 2, >5 days), and comparisons between groups revealed that earlier surgery was associated with significantly shorter durations of hospital stay (p<0.001) and antibiotic therapy (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Early surgical intervention (< or =5 days) was associated with a shorter duration of hospital stay and antibiotic therapy as well as a lower complication rate. We recommend that corrective surgery be undertaken as soon as reasonably possible.
Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Head ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Length of Stay ; Meningomyelocele ; Parturition ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: As problem have developed with the right colonic antegrade enema procedure (Malone's procedure/Monti's retubularized ileocolostomy), left colonic antegrade continence enema (LACE) procedure, in which retubularized ileum or sigmoid colon is anastomosed into the sigmoid colon, has gained popularity. The aim of the study was to describe our experience with the LACE procedure. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 19 LACE procedures that were performed at the Yonsei University Colllege of Medicine Hospital (Seoul, Korea) from March 2001 to March 2005. RESULTS: Male-to-female ratio was 11 : 8, with median age of 10 years (range, 3~34 years). Most common diagnosis was meningomyelocele (78.9%, 15/19). The median total follow-up period was 23 months (range, 3~37 months); median antegrade continence enema volume used was 600 ml (range, 250~1,500 ml); and median transit time was 30 minutes (range, 15~60 minutes). Patients performed antegrade continence enema with an average of once every 2 days (range, 0.3~3 days). Social continence was achieved in 14 patients (73.7%). Regurgitation of fecal material through stoma was not reported at all in 17 patients (89.5%). CONCLUSION: We recommend LACE as the procedure of choice for patients with congenital malformation or any other condition predisposing to fecal incontinence or constipation intractable to conventional treatment.
Colon* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Constipation ; Diagnosis ; Enema* ; Fecal Incontinence ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileum ; Meningomyelocele ; Retrospective Studies

The prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida includes the combined use of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening and fetal sonography. On ultrasonogram, spina bifida is characterizd by visualization of the spinal defect and associated cranial abnomalities: the Lemon sign, the Banana sign, ventriculomegaly, small biparietal diameter, and obliteration of the cisterna magna. We should now be able to rely on ultrasound as the main technique for diagnosis of spina bifida when MSAFP is elevated. Recently, we have experienced three cases of spina bifida diagnosed with meningomyelocele, lemon sign, banana sign and ventriculomegaly on ultrasonogram at respectively 18+3, 18, and 18+6 weeks of gestation. We present these cases with a brief review of literatures.
alpha-Fetoproteins ; Cisterna Magna ; Diagnosis ; Mass Screening ; Meningomyelocele ; Musa ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Spinal Dysraphism* ; Ultrasonography*

The Arnold-Chiari malformation (ACM) is an anomaly of the hindbrain consisting of two components: a variable displacement of a tongue of tissue derived from the inferior cerebellar vermis in the upper cervical canal and a similar caudal dislocation of the medulla and fourth ventricle. Hydrocephalus and meningomyelocele are another abnormalities that associated frequently. We present a case of Arnold-Chiari malformation with hydrocephalus and meningomyeolcele and a brief review of the literatures was added.
Arnold-Chiari Malformation* ; Cerebellar Vermis ; Dislocations ; Fourth Ventricle ; Hydrocephalus ; Meningomyelocele ; Rhombencephalon ; Tongue

PURPOSE: Using proteomic analysis, this study was performed to see the characteristics of proteins expression in the muscles of spastic cerebral palsy patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied twelve specimens from six patients with spastic cerebral palsy, three patients with myelomeningocele, and three normal people who underwent orthopaedic surgeries due to trauma. We studied the extracted proteins showing differences in the two-dimensional electrophoresis, and the prominent thirteen proteins were re-evaluated by proteomics and the reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction, which was to clarify the relationship between gene and protein expression. RESULTS: Among fifteen proteins, six proteins were found to be higher in normal people, and nine were found to be higher in the groups of patients by spot histogram. The results of proteomic analysis with MALDI-TOF for fifteen proteins showed that the expression of DJ-1 was related to cerebral palsy. CONCLUSION: This study shows that strong expression of DJ-1 is related to spasticity and cerebral palsy. We showed for the first time the possibility of any relationship between spastic condition and DJ-1 expression.
Cerebral Palsy ; Electrophoresis ; Humans ; Meningomyelocele ; Muscle Spasticity ; Muscles ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proteins ; Proteomics