title: Management and long-term follow-up review of children with lipomyelomeningocele, 1952-1987.
abstract: The medical records of patients at Children's Hospital and Medical Center treated for lipomyelomeningocele repair were reviewed to assess the long-term outcome of surgery. In total, 108 children were cared for between 1952 and 1987, and long-term data are available for 80 of 96 children who underwent surgery. Cutaneous manifestations and associated malformations were common. Surgical repair was performed at ages 1 week to 17 years; there was no operative mortality. Thirty-five of 38 children with normal preoperative examination were without deficits on long-term follow-up review. Bowel and bladder paralysis was present in 42 children and did not recover after release of cord tethering. Eleven children had return of symptoms and were reexplored 3 to 8 years after initial surgery. Surgical repair with release of cord tethering at the time of diagnosis is advocated, regardless of patient age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kanev
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lemire
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Loeser
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008067:Lipoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008588:Meningocele / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008722:Methods; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012868:Skin Abnormalities; D013997:Time Factors; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000209:etiology