Survival of infants with unoperated myeloceles.
Of the infants with spina bifida referred to a neonatal surgical unit over three years and denied early closure of the myelocele, a significant proportion survived long enough for procedures to drain hydrocephalus to be needed. The key decision in the management of this condition is not whether myeloceles should be closed but whether hydrocephalus should be treated.
D004322:Drainage; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000628:therapy; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000401:mortality*; D013997:Time Factors