Survival at 5 years of a cohort of newborn infants with myelomeningocele.
Over a nine-year period, 63 viable newborns with myelomeningocele were consecutively treated, of whom 11 (17%) developed brainstem symptoms assessed to be potentially life-threatening. All 11 underwent brainstem decompression by cervical laminectomy with stent placement between the fourth ventricle and the spinal subarachnoid space, at a median age of 8 months. 86% survived to 60 months of age. Those with brainstem dysfunction had a significantly greater mortality than those without, despite aggressive neurosurgical management by brainstem decompression.
Worley
G
G
Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine; Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Schuster
J M
JM
Oakes
W J
WJ
D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015996:Survival Rate