Occult spinal dysraphism in children: need for early neurosurgical referral

Sacral Spina Bifida Occulta: A Frequency Analysis of Secular Change

Substantial relaxation of natural selection beginning around 1900 changed the mutation/selec­tion balance of modern genetic material, producing an increase in variable anatomical structures. While multiple structures have been affected, the temporal increase in variations of the sacrum, specifically, ‘Sa­cral Spina Bifida Occulta,’ have been reliably demonstrated on a localised scale. Calculation of largescale frequency has been hindered by the localised nature of these publications, the morphological variability of this variation, and potential pathological associations, which have produced divergent classifications, and conflicting reported rates of occurrence. A systematic review of the reported literature was conducted to provide an objective analysis of Sacral Spina Bifida Occulta frequency from 2500 BCE to the present. This review was designed to compensate for observed inconsistencies in reporting and to ascertain, for the first time, the temporal trajectory of this secular trend. A systematic review of Sacral Spina Bifida Occulta lit­erature was conducted through the strict use of clinical meta-analysis criteria. Publications were retrieved from four databases: PubMed, Embase, the Adelaide University Library database, and Google Scholar. Data were separated into three historical groups, (1 = <1900, 2 = 1900 to 1980 and 3 = >1980), and frequency outcomes compared, to determine temporal rates of occurrence. A total of 39/409 publications were included in the final analysis, representing data for 16,167 sacra, spanning a period of 4,500 years. Statistically significant results were obtained, with total open S1 frequen­cy increasing from 2.34%, (79 to 1900CE), to 4.80%, (1900 to 1980CE) and to 5.43% (>1980CE). These increases were significant at p<0.0001, with Chi-squared analysis. A clear secular increase in the global frequency of Sacral Spina Bifida Occulta has been demonstrated from 1900 to the present. This research provides a novel and adaptable framework for the future assessment of variation distribution, with impor­tant implications for the fields of biological anthropology and bioarchaeology.

Is it necessary to operate all split cord malformations before corrective surgery for patients with congenital spinal deformities?

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the necessity of neurosurgical interventions for split cord malformations (SCMs) before correction and instrumentation for patients with congenital spinal deformity(CSD)s.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

SCMs are commonly associated with CSD. As pathology of SCMs understood well, the common belief of all SCM must be operated before any orthopedic intervention is needed to be revised.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-one consecutive patients with CSD and spinal dysraphism treated by correction and posterior instrumentation between 1994 and 2005 were retrospectively evaluated. Inclusion criteria were patients with CSD and SCM, who were treated with long segment instrumentation (more than 6 functional units) with at least 2 years of follow-up. Thirty-two patients (8 male and 24 female) with an age average of 11 years +8 months (4-18 years) fulfilled the criteria. While all patients with Type I SCM were managed with neurosurgical intervention (spur excision and dural reconstruction) before corrective surgery, Type II SCM cases were treated by instrumented fusion without neurologic intervention.

RESULTS

There were 18 patients with Type I and 14 patients with Type II SCM. The average follow-up was 52 (24-144) months. The correction rate of deformity was 44% in type I and 47% in Type II SCM. Two patients with Type II SCM had transient neurologic deterioration while there were no neurologic events in patients with Type II SCM.

CONCLUSION

Due to high incidence of SCMs, all patients with CSDs must be evaluated with MRI, before surgery. Neurosurgical interventions are recommended even for neurologically asymptomatic Type I SCM before spinal deformity surgery; however, patients with Type II SCM can be treated safely without a need of neurosurgical intervention.

The value of ultrasonic examination of the lumbar spine in infants with specific reference to cutaneous markers of occult spinal dysraphism

AIM

To present part of the rationale behind the recent update to the M12 guideline in The Royal College of Radiologists' publication "Making the best use of a department of clinical radiology", 4th edition 1998, which stated that ultrasound was useful in screening for dysraphism in infants with cutaneous markers such as sacral dimple or hairy patch.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Over a 10-year period a total of 223 infant lumbar spines were scanned, for various clinical indications. Forty of these patients had already had abnormalities detected antenatally by foetal ultrasonography. One hundred and eight-three patients had abnormalities detected on postnatal clinical examination; most of these had various cutaneous markers, some had other congenital abnormalities.

RESULTS

There were a total of 29 patients with dysraphism; 24 were detected antenatally and five postnatally. Of the five, two had two or more cutaneous markers and three had anorectal anomalies. All 86 of the patients with simple sacral dimples, pits or sinuses were normal.

CONCLUSION

As an isolated abnormality, simple dimples or pits are not useful markers of spinal dysraphism. The authors suggest a new imaging protocol, resulting in improved diagnostic efficiency.

Split spinal cord malformations: report of 22 cases and review of the literature

OBJECT

The aims of this study were to describe the embryological changes that drive the formation of a split spinal cord malformation, analyse the forms of presentation, evaluate the diagnostic procedures and discuss the indications for the different forms of therapy for each case.

METHODS

Clinical and radiological features of 22 cases of split spinal cord malformations (SSCM) are reported. Three groups of patients are considered: group a, patients with signs of tethered cord or scoliosis; group b, patients with midline cutaneous stigmata and group c, patients with a meningocele or meningomyelocele.

CONCLUSION

While CT scan is particularly useful for the evaluation of vertebral bodies and posterior arch abnormalities and spur characteristics in SSCM, MRI gives complementary information on the anatomy of spinal cord, dural sac, conus and filum terminale and permits the exclusion of associated lesions such as hydro-syringomyelia, dermal sinus or dermoid and epidermoid cysts. Surgery should be considered indicated in all cases of SSCM, even the asymptomatic ones, except in very badly handicapped meningomyelocele patients with nonprogressive disability and type II SSCM.

Coccygeal pits

BACKGROUND

Congenital dermal sinuses represent cutaneous depressions or tracts that are lined by stratified squamous epithelium. They communicate between the surface of the skin and deeper structures and may occur anywhere along the craniospinal axis. These sinuses are thought to result from abnormal separation of the cutaneous and neural ectoderm between the third and fifth week of intrauterine life. They may be often accompanied by other cutaneous stigmata, various dysraphic abnormalities, or intraspinal tumors. In the sacrococcygeal area, cutaneous congenital abnormalities are relatively common. It is estimated that 2% to 4% of children harbor intergluteal dorsal dermal sinuses. These intergluteal sinuses in the perianal region are frequently referred to as pits or dimples. Their cause is considered similar to other congenital dermal sinuses and appears unrelated to acquired pilonidal conditions observed in adults. They may become susceptible to local recurrent infection from trauma or hirsutism. Controversy regarding the evaluation and management of cutaneous defects in the coccygeal region exists.

METHODS

Both a literature review and a career review of clinical material were performed. Databases for articles published in English were surveyed for key words relating to coccygeal sinuses using standard computerized search techniques. The medical records of children presenting to our neurosurgical clinic for evaluation of dorsal dermal sinuses were reviewed to identify those with intergluteal sinuses.

RESULTS

In the evaluation of reported cases and of our own, we were unable to identify any children with coccygeal sinuses without other cutaneous markers other than hair with findings suggestive of intraspinal communication.

CONCLUSIONS

Intergluteal dorsal dermal sinuses are relatively common lesions that frequently come to neurosurgical attention. They do not seem to be associated with significant risk of spinal cord and intraspinal anomalies. Simple intergluteal dorsal dermal sinuses without other cutaneous findings do not require radiographic or surgical evaluation and treatment. If other markers or neurologic symptoms are present, however, radiographic evaluation may be indicated.

Assessment of maternal anxiety following neonatal screening and investigation for occult spinal dysraphism

The objective was to determine maternal anxiety and attitudes associated with a programme of neonatal screening and investigation for occult spinal dysraphism. Questionnaires were completed after diagnostic investigation (time 1) and 6 months later (time 2) by 83 mothers of babies with possible markers of occult spinal dysraphism who were normal on spinal ultrasound. Outcome measures were: attitudes to the programme; maternal adjustment and attitudes to the baby; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Fifty-four other postnatal mothers formed the comparison group for maternal adjustment. No significant differences were found between investigation group (time 1) and comparisons on measures of maternal adjustment. Anxious mothers gave more negative responses to some maternal adjustment items but not to attitudes to the programme. Mean state anxiety at time 1 (33.66) and time 2 (33.69) and mean trait anxiety (36.23) were not higher than in mothers of normal babies. It can be concluded that a programme of investigation for neonatal abnormalities that pays attention to detail need not cause excessive maternal anxiety. However, some mothers remain anxious even after receiving normal results. Anxiety can be assessed during appraisal of a new investigation programme, but refinements are needed.

Neurological and medico-social problems of spina bifida patients in adolescence and adulthood

Chronological changes in the neurological manifestations of spina bifida are well recognized in the early developmental periods: fetal, neonatal, infantile, pre-school and school life. However, little has been written about the medical and medico-social problems of spina bifida patients in adulthood. Patients now in this age group had the condition diagnosed and managed in an era when modern neurosurgical concepts were only just beginning to be established with the aid of invasive methodology. In our series of 141 cases of spina bifida, 18 patients (13.5%) were over 16 years of age. These included 9 cases each of spina bifida aperta (myeloschisis) and spina bifida occulta (spinal lipoma). The ages ranged from 16 to 47 years (mean: 23.5 years) in the former and from 16 to 57 years (mean: 29.2 years) in the latter group. During the long-term follow-up with quantitative analysis of the spinal neurological changes using the spina bifida neurological scale (SBNS), the final outcomes appeared very grave. Except for 1 case in each group-1 grade III in the spina bifida aperta group and 1 grade II in the spina bifida occulta group-all patients over the age of 27 years were classed as having grade IV disease. There were 2 patients with spina bifida aperta in whom postoperative paraplegia appeared after delayed radical repair (at the ages of 3 years and 18 years) and 3 patients with spina bifida occulta in whom obvious neurological deterioration was observed as the natural history with ongoing paraparesis at the spinal level or late onset of sexual problems. The other group included 2 patients with spinal lipoma in whom late neurological deterioration was observed and who were obliged to undergo a second operation in spite of aggressive early procedures performed during infancy. Among the patients with spina bifida aperta, 2 had marked ventriculomegaly as a form of long-standing overt ventriculomegaly in the adult (LOVA). After the CSF shunt procedure both these patients had problems with delicate shunt dependence and requested fine shunt flow regulation. Two patients in this group also suffered from severe depression. This study involves a limited number of patients, but it may be useful for reference on various points: (1) future prospects for the management of pediatric cases of spina bifida as practiced in the majority of hospitals; (2) natural histories of untreated cases and surgical indications for preventive procedure in spinal lipoma in early infancy; and (3) internationally differing levels of management of spina bifida and the historical development of individual countries' approaches to the problems.

Dysraphic problems in the lumbar spine: dilemmas in management--a review of 49 cases

Occult spinal dysraphism can present in many ways. In this review the clinical features, pathology, and management of 49 adult and pediatric cases are discussed. Most recent papers agree that surgery should be performed for clinical deterioration, and many now advise prophylactic surgery for stable or asymptomatic patients. This paper questions the role of prophylactic surgery in such patients. The natural history of occult dysraphism is not known, particularly in the case of adult or asymptomatic patients A conservative management policy, with operation reserved for subsequent clinical or electrophysiological deterioration, is still acceptable in stable or asymptomatic patients. The prospective study of cohorts of patients, with the various forms of occult spinal dysraphism, from units with differing management policies, will help to clarify the natural history of this condition and whether this may be influenced by prophylactic surgery.