Treatment of spina bifida (spina bifida) depends on the severity of the disease, the accompanying symptoms, and the age of the patient. The main method is surgery to close spina bifida. It must be carried out in the first few hours or days after the birth of the child. This will help reduce the risk of infection and spinal cord injury.
What can treatment for spina bifida in children include?
During the operation to treat spina bifida in children, the neurosurgeon correctly places the spinal cord and exposed tissues of the spine, covers them with muscles and skin. Sometimes a special shunt may be needed to avoid cerebral hydrocephalus.
If the surgical treatment of spina bifida in a child is not carried out in time, the disease progresses rapidly. Because of this, orthopedic rehabilitation, urological and gastroenterological treatment, and surgery to get rid of paralysis may be needed in the future.
What can treatment for spina bifida in adults include?
Treatment for spina bifida in adults depends on the symptoms. The patient may be prescribed physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory drugs, which will stop the further development of the disease. Surgical treatment is rarely performed by doctors, only if there is a risk of damage to the spinal cord.
Is it possible to treat spina bifida in a fetus?
Treatment of spina bifida in the fetus is possible between 19 and 25 weeks of the mother's pregnancy. Doctors perform prenatal surgery, during which they restore the baby's spinal cord right in the womb. According to studies, these children have a 2-fold lower risk of hydrocephalus and other symptoms than with surgery immediately after birth.