Treatment for Spina Bifida really depends on the severity of the condition however children with mild type of Spina Bifida may not need any treatment at all but they might need surgery later on as they grow. The most severe type of Spina Bifida is Myelomeningocele. The major goal in the treatment of this condition is to prevent infection from setting in the exposed tissues and nerves of the affected spine as well as to protect this nerves and tissues from further trauma in the future.
Surgery Treatment for Spina Bifida
Generally, a child born with Spina Bifida requires surgery a few days after birth to close the defect and thus prevent infection and further trauma or injury. Just recently, doctors started to perform fetal surgery for those unborn child with myelomeningocele. Fetal surgery is performed within the uterus. The procedure involves opening the mother’s abdomen and uterus and then closing up the opening of the baby’s spinal cord.
Doctors do believe that correcting the defect as early as possible brings a much better outcome for the baby. However this surgery cannot restore any lost neurological function but it can prevent any further loss. Unfortunately there is much risk for the baby and mother for this surgery is still considered experimental stage.
Risk to the unborn child includes organ immaturity, brain hemorrhage and death while risk to the mother includes gaining extra weight, gestational diabetes, loss of blood and infection. However the advantages of fetal surgery bring hope since it can prevent other conditions to develop like Chiari malformation and Hydrocephalus.
Individuals who have Spina Bifida may need assistive devices like wheelchairs, crutches or braces. The type of assistive device needed will depend on the location of the malformation. If the malformation is in the upper spine, this often needs a wheelchair since most patients suffer extensive paralysis from the point of the malformation and below. For those whose defect is in the lower spine or back then they may use crutches, walkers, leg braces and bladder catheterization.
Continues research and studies are being done in this subject. Indeed finding an ultimate cure for this condition is their goal but for the meantime studies are still ongoing it would be better for the whole population especially those who are pregnant and who are planning to get pregnant to be extra careful with their pregnancy. A study showed that enough intake of folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects in neonates ( Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011).
Prognosis of Spina Bifida with treatment is relatively good. Patients can still lead an active life. A child who has Spina bifida usually has normal intelligence. If in case learning problems happens then early intervention would be very helpful.