Spina Bifida

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the condition, which is a congenital defect that is present at the birth of a child. It explains that it is caused by problems with early development of the spine, the main defect being the failure of the closure of the vertebral column, that is, the bony column that surrounds the spinal cord. It also shows that, without this closure, the spinal cord is not afforded the usual protection of the vertebrae and is left open to either mechanical injury or invasion by infection.

From the Paper:

"However, spina bifida may be treated with utero surgery. While this is a risky yet promising procedure, it appears to improve short-term outcomes (Worcester, 2003). Dr. Joseph Bruner, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Vanderbilt, states that, ?To date, more than 250 surgeries to repair the lesions associated with spina bifida have been performed at centers such as Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of California, San Francisco, and Vanderbilt University.? In utero repair has several advantages over postnatal surgery. They include potentially fewer urinary infections, less gastrointestinal reflux, improved fetal leg function and cognitive development, and less need for shunt placement with careful patient selection."

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