title: Skin abnormalities of the back in diastematomyelia.
abstract: The presence of congenital skin abnormalities on the back may be associated with a serious underlying spinal anomaly, diastematomyelia. The significance of the progressive development of neurological deficits, due to the presence of a bony or cartilaginous spur in the spinal cord, is stressed. An awareness of this condition should lead to an early diagnosis with a neurological evaluation and, if necessary, prophylactic surgery before irreversible nerve damage develops.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001415:Back; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012868:Skin Abnormalities; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000151:congenital*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous