Neural Tube Defects Follow-up

  • Author: George I Jallo, MD; Chief Editor: Amy Kao, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 22, 2011
 

Further Inpatient Care

  • Neonatology
  • Pediatric neurology
  • Pediatric orthopedics
  • Urology
  • Physical medicine
  • Orthopedic surgery
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Further Outpatient Care

Children with open NTDs need comprehensive follow-up in a multimodality setting involving numerous specialties and subspecialties.

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Complications

  • Infections
  • Bladder dysfunction[16]
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Prognosis

Prognosis depends upon the defect and ranges from excellent to poor.

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Patient Education

  • Many groups exist with interests concerning the particular child.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Brain and Nervous System Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Spina Bifida.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

George I Jallo, MD  Professor of Neurosurgery, Pediatrics, and Oncology, Director, Clinical Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

George I Jallo, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Neurological Surgeons, American Medical Association, and American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons

Disclosure: Codman (Johnson & Johnson) Grant/research funds Consulting; Medtronic Grant/research funds Consulting

Specialty Editor Board

Robert Stanley Rust Jr, MD, MA  Thomas E Worrell Jr Professor of Epileptology and Neurology, Co-Director of FE Dreifuss Child Neurology and Epilepsy Clinics, Director, Child Neurology, University of Virginia; Chair-Elect, Child Neurology Section, American Academy of Neurology

Robert Stanley Rust Jr, MD, MA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Epilepsy Society, American Headache Society, American Neurological Association, Child Neurology Society, International Child Neurology Association, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Kenneth J Mack, MD, PhD  Senior Associate Consultant, Department of Child and Adolescent Neurology, Mayo Clinic

Kenneth J Mack, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, Child Neurology Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Neuroscience

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Amy Kao, MD  Attending Neurologist, Children's National Medical Center, Washington DC

Amy Kao, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Epilepsy Society, and Child Neurology Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

  1. Dias MS, Li V. Pediatric neurosurgical disease. Pediatr Clin North Am. Dec 1998;45(6):1539-78, x. [Medline].

  2. Dirks PB, Rutka JT. The neurogenetic basis of pediatric neurosurgical conditions. In: Albright L, Pollack I, Adelson D, eds. Principles and Practice of Neurosurgery. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers; 1999:. 23-4.

  3. Harris LW, Oakes WJ. Open neural tube defects. In: Tindall GT,Cooper PR, Barrow DL, eds. The Practice of Neurosurgery. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1996:. 2779-89.

  4. McComb JG, Chen TC. Closed spinal neural tube defects. In: Tindall GT,Cooper PR, Barrow DL, eds. The Practice of Neurosurgery. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1996:. 2754-77.

  5. McComb JG. Spinal and cranial neural tube defects. Semin Pediatr Neurol. Sep 1997;4(3):156-66. [Medline].

  6. O'Rahilly R, Muller F. Neurulation in the normal human embryo. Ciba Found Symp. 1994;181:70-82; discussion 82-9. [Medline].

  7. Marks JD, Khoshnood B. Epidemiology of common neurosurgical diseases in the neonate. Neurosurg Clin N Am. Jan 1998;9(1):63-72. [Medline].

  8. Walters J, Ashwal S, Masek T. Anencephaly: where do we now stand?. Semin Neurol. 1997;17(3):249-55. [Medline].

  9. Mattsson S, Gladh G. [Children with meningomyelocele become adults!]. Lakartidningen. Sep 12-18 2005;102(37):2566-70. [Medline].

  10. Drolet B. Birthmarks to worry about. Cutaneous markers of dysraphism. Dermatol Clin. Jul 1998;16(3):447-53. [Medline].

  11. George TM, Fagan LH. Adult tethered cord syndrome in patients with postrepair myelomeningocele: an evidence-based outcome study. J Neurosurg. Mar 2005;102(2 Suppl):150-6. [Medline].

  12. Barber RC, Lammer EJ, Shaw GM, et al. The role of folate transport and metabolism in neural tube defect risk. Mol Genet Metab. Jan 1999;66(1):1-9. [Medline].

  13. MMWR. Use of dietary supplements containing folic acid among women of childbearing age--United States, 2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. Sep 30 2005;54(38):955-8. [Medline].

  14. Jentink J, Dolk H, Loane MA, et al. Intrauterine exposure to carbamazepine and specific congenital malformations: systematic review and case-control study. BMJ. Dec 2 2010;341:c6581. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  15. McLone DG. Care of the neonate with a myelomeningocele. Neurosurg Clin N Am. Jan 1998;9(1):111-20. [Medline].

  16. Tubbs RS, Wellons JC, Blount JP, et al. Transient ventriculoperitoneal shunt dysfunction in children with myelodysplasia and urinary bladder infection. Report of three cases. J Neurosurg. Mar 2005;102(2 Suppl):221-3. [Medline].

  17. Copp AJ. Prevention of neural tube defects: vitamins, enzymes and genes. Curr Opin Neurol. Apr 1998;11(2):97-102. [Medline].

  18. Czeizel AE, Dudas I. Prevention of the first occurrence of neural-tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. N Engl J Med. Dec 24 1992;327(26):1832-5. [Medline].

  19. Mills JL, Scott JM, Kirke PN, et al. Homocysteine and neural tube defects. J Nutr. Mar 1996;126(3):756S-760S. [Medline].

  20. Deacon S. Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of non-syndromic orofacial clefts in infants. Evid Based Dent. 2005;6(2):43-4. [Medline].

 
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