title: Clinical outcomes of myelomeningocele defect closure over 10 years.
abstract: We report our surgical procedures for the closure of myelomeningocele defects. A retrospective analysis of 162 patients (74 male [45.7%], 88 female [54.3%]) with myelomeningocele was performed and the relationship between hydrocephalus, neurological status and the level and size of the myelomeningocele was described according to type of defect closure. Patients were divided into four groups according to the size of the defect, which was classified into ranges of 0-24 cm(2), 25-39 cm(2), 40-60 cm(2) and >60 cm(2). Myelomeningocele occurred in the lumbar region in 114 patients (70%). The minimum defect size was 3×2 cm, and the maximum defect size was 15×15 cm (mean defect size=34.64 cm(2)). We found that primary closure can be performed on clean, small defects with an intact sac that contains cerebrospinal fluid and the neural placode. For defects larger than 25 cm(2) that contained perforated sacculas, more soft tissue for well-vascularized coverage was required. Bilateral V-Y fasciocutaneous flaps are a good choice for immediate coverage of myelomeningocele defects.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neurosurgery, Şişli Etfal Education and Research Hospital (Şişli Etfal Eğitim ve Araştırma Hast.), Beyin ve Sinir Cerr, Kliniği, Şişli, Istanbul 34381, Turkey. mmusluman@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ahmet Murat
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Müslüman
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karşıdağ
authors.forename: Deniz Özgür
authors.initials: DÖ
authors.lastname: Sucu
authors.forename: Arzu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akçal
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sirinoğlu
authors.forename: Yunus
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aydın
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000009:adverse effects