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PLoS One 2021 12;16(5):e0250098. Epub 2021 May 12.

National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Objectives: A systematic review was conducted in high-income country settings to analyse: (i) spina bifida neonatal and IMRs over time, and (ii) clinical and socio-demographic factors associated with mortality in the first year after birth in infants affected by spina bifida.

Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, Ovid, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched from 1st January, 1990 to 31st August, 2020 to review evidence.

Study Selection: Population-based studies that provided data for spina bifida infant mortality and case fatality according to clinical and socio-demographical characteristics were included. Read More

J Neurosurg Pediatr 2021 May 7:1-7. Epub 2021 May 7.

8Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital and University of Washington College of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.

Objective: The aims of this study were to review the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR) data set to study the rates of tethered spinal cord release (TCR) among patients with myelomeningocele and variability between centers, to compare TCR rates between males and females, and to study the relationships between TCR rates and other condition-specific characteristics.

Methods: The NSBPR registry was queried to identify all patients with myelomeningocele. TCR rates were calculated over time using survival analyses; rates between centers and between males and females were compared. Read More

J Neurosurg Pediatr 2021 May 7:1-10. Epub 2021 May 7.

1Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurological Surgery, Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.

Objective: Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is a clinical and radiographic diagnosis of pathological stretching of the spinal cord leading to progressive loss of neurological function. The gold standard treatment for TCS is a tethered cord release. However, detethering involves significant risks of spinal cord injury and high rates of retethering. Read More

Pediatr Med Chir 2021 May 7;43(1). Epub 2021 May 7.

Pediatric Surgery, Ca' Foncello Hospital, Treviso.

Constipation and fecal incontinence in pediatric patients are conditions due to either functional or organic bowel dysfunction and may represent a challenging situation both for parents, pediatricians, and pediatric surgeons. Different treatments have been proposed throughout the past decades with partial and alternant results and, among all proposed techniques, in the adult population the Transanal Irrigation (TAI) has become popular. However, little is known about its efficacy in children. Read More

Surg Case Rep 2021 May 6;7(1):112. Epub 2021 May 6.

Department of Pediatric Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Niigata, Japan.

Background: The antegrade continence enema (ACE) procedure is effective for severe constipation in patients with spina bifida and can improve quality of life (QOL). The Monti-Malone procedure (MM), which is a method of creating an enema tract from the colon, has been reported as an alternative to the ACE procedure when the appendix cannot be used. We report the usefulness of MM as a reconstruction of the antegrade continence enema procedure. Read More

J Pediatr Urol 2021 Apr 3. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Division of Urology, Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) is a common pediatric problem that describes a constellation of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with constipation and/or encopresis. Its association with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric (NDP) problems is not well understood.

Objectives: Our primary aim was to identify pre-existing NDP disorders in children with BBD. Read More

Childs Nerv Syst 2021 May 3. Epub 2021 May 3.

Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Nacional de Ninos ¨Dr. Carlos Saenz Herrera¨, Paseo Colon y Calle 20 Sur, San Jose, 10103, Costa Rica.

J Pediatr Neurosci 2020 Oct-Dec;15(4):393-401. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

Department of Neurology, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul Bilim University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objective: Myelomeningocele is the most severe and the most frequent form of spina bifida. Most of the myelomeningocele patients undergo operations in new-born age. In terms of life quality and rehabilitation, follow-up's of these patients in the growth and development period after the operation is critical. Read More

J Pediatr Rehabil Med 2021 Apr 26. Epub 2021 Apr 26.

Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Purpose: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to evaluate the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the Adolescent/Young Adult Self-Management and Independence Scale-II (AMIS-II), an interview-based measure of self-management for youth with chronic health conditions.

Methods: A diverse sample of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with spina bifida (SB) (n = 64 AYA; mean 20.88; age range 18-25 years) completed an AMIS-II interview. Read More

Neuroradiology 2021 May 1. Epub 2021 May 1.

School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences (BMEIS), King's College London, London, UK.

Purpose: A retrospective study was performed to study the effect of fetal surgery on brain development measured by MRI in fetuses with myelomeningocele (MMC).

Methods: MRI scans of 12 MMC fetuses before and after surgery were compared to 24 age-matched controls without central nervous system abnormalities. An automated super-resolution reconstruction technique generated isotropic brain volumes to mitigate 2D MRI fetal motion artefact. Read More

J Pediatr Surg 2021 Apr 15. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Introduction: Intraamniotic microparticle injection is a novel technique for the treatment of myelomeningocele (MMC) in which microparticles are delivered in-utero in a minimally invasive fashion to bind to and protect the exposed spinal cord. This technique could offer earlier intervention and greater access to prenatal treatment of MMC. Here we demonstrate progress on the engineering of the microparticles to promote binding to the MMC defect. Read More

Arch Gynecol Obstet 2021 May 1. Epub 2021 May 1.

Disciplina de Obstetricia, Departamento de Obstetricia e Ginecologia, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Avenida Dr. Eneas de Carvalho Aguiar, 255 - 10° andar - Cerqueira Cesar, Sao Paulo, CEP 05403-000, Brazil.

Purpose: Myelomeningocele (MMC) is an open neural tube defect that causes great morbidity. Prenatal open repair is the standard treatment; however, there are many complications related to the procedure. This study reports preliminary findings of open in utero repair of MMC in a public tertiary hospital in Brazil and describes factors that could be associated with increased surgical morbidity. Read More

An Pediatr (Barc) 2021 Apr 26. Epub 2021 Apr 26.

Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España.

J Clin Med 2021 Apr 13;10(8). Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Neurogenic/neuropathic bowel dysfunction (NBD) is common in children who are affected by congenital and acquired neurological disease, and negatively impacts quality of life. In the past, NBD received less attention than neurogenic bladder, generally being considered only in spina bifida (the most common cause of pediatric NBD). Many methods of conservative and medical management of NBD are reported, including relatively recently Transanal Irrigation (TAI). Read More

J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2021 Apr 26:102155. Epub 2021 Apr 26.

Sorbonne University, AP-HP, Trousseau Hospital, DMU ORIGYNE, Department of Fetal Medicine, 26 Avenue du Dr Arnold Netter, 75012 Paris, France.; National Reference Center for Rare Disease: Vertebral and Spinal Cord Anomalies (MAVEM Center), AP-HP, Trousseau Hospital, 26 Avenue du Dr Arnold Netter, 75012 Paris, France.

Introduction: - Open fetal myelomeningocele (MMC) surgery is currently the standard of care option for prenatal MMC repair. We described the population referred to our center and reviewed outcome after open fetal MMC repair.

Material And Methods: - All patients referred to our center for MMC were reviewed from July 2014 to June 2020. Read More

J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2021 Apr 29. Epub 2021 Apr 29.

Neuro-oncology Clinic, Center for Rare Cancers, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.

Caudal agenesis refers to the congenital malformation with the essential feature of the agenesis of the sacrococcygeal bone. It is associated with various types of spinal cord anomaly as well as with complex anomalies of genitourinary or gastrointestinal system. The wide spectrum of the disease can be attributed to its pathoembryological origin, the secondary neurulation. Read More

J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2021 Apr 28. Epub 2021 Apr 28.

Editor of the 'Pediatric Issue', Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society, Seoul, Korea.

J Orthop Translat 2021 May 7;28:140-147. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Rehabilitation Hospital of National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids; Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability; Key Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis and Rehabilitation Technology of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Beijing, China.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of foot and ankle deformity with ulceration in patients with spina bifida, to conclude experiences on management with improved Ilizarov method in one stage.

Methods: 77 cases suffering foot and ankle deformity with ulceration of spina bifida were included from January 2008 to June 2019, in which 30 male and 47 female, aged 6-46 years with an average age of 22.86 years. Read More

Cureus 2021 Mar 23;13(3):e14053. Epub 2021 Mar 23.

Department of Orthopedics, Indian Spinal Injuries Center, New Delhi, IND.

Intradural lipoma without spinal dysraphism is a rare occurrence. Most of them are asymptomatic but can also present with neurological deficits. A 54-year-old male patient presented to us with progressive weakness in both lower limbs for six months. Read More

J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2021 Apr 26. Epub 2021 Apr 26.

Neuro-oncology Clinic, Center for Rare Cancers, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.

During the last two decades, there have been remarkable advances in knowledge regarding secondary neurulation. An increased number of cases of occult spinal dysraphism and progress in basic embryology research have provoked the continuous discovery of new disease entities and the reclassification of occult spinal dysraphic lesions. Examples of such changes are described. Read More

Percept Mot Skills 2021 Apr 23:315125211012810. Epub 2021 Apr 23.

Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia.

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a common physical disability that is managed with a variety of strategies. One non-invasive intervention for people living with CP is a type of video self-modelling (VSM) referred to as positive self-review (PSR). PSR involves watching a video of oneself performing only the best examples of a desired task; this technique has been associated with improved performance and learning for people without disabilities and for those in various clinical populations, including children with spina bifida and stroke patients. Read More

Int J Sports Med 2021 Apr 22. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Departamento Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.

We aimed to analyse cardiac autonomic control by assessing the post-exercise heart rate recovery (HRR) and physical fitness in children and adolescents with spina bifida (SB), compared to participants with typical development. A total of 124 participants, 42 with spina bifida (SB group) and 82 typical developmental controls (CO group) performed the arm cranking exercise test with a gas analysis system. HRR was determined at the first (HRR_1) and second (HRR_2) minute at recovery phase. Read More

Orthop J Sports Med 2021 Apr 9;9(4):2325967121995466. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Medicine of Sensory and Motor Organs, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Kiyotake, Miyazaki, Japan.

Background: Spondylolysis and undiagnosed mechanical low back pain (UMLBP) are the main causes of low back pain (LBP) in adolescent athletes. No studies have evaluated the difference in clinical and radiographic factors between these 2 conditions. Furthermore, it remains unclear which adolescent athletes with LBP should undergo advanced imaging examination for spondylolysis. Read More

Front Genet 2021 6;12:597983. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India.

Spina Bifida (SB) is a congenital spinal cord malformation. Efforts to discern the key regulators (KRs) of the SB protein-protein interaction (PPI) network are requisite for developing its successful interventions. The architecture of the SB network, constructed from 117 manually curated genes was found to self-organize into a scale-free fractal state having a weak hierarchical organization. Read More

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Fetal Medicine Research Institute, King's College Hospital, London, UK.

Background: A trial comparing prenatal with postnatal open spina bifida (OSB) repair established that prenatal surgery was associated with better postnatal outcome. However, in the trial the fetal surgery was carried out through hysterotomy. Minimally invasive approaches are being developed to mitigate the risks of open maternal fetal surgery. Read More

Pediatr Surg Int 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Division of Pediatric Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, 501 N. Graham Street, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97227, USA.

Purpose: We aimed to understand the challenges facing children's surgical care providers globally and realistic interventions to mitigate the catastrophic impact of COVID-19 on children's surgery.

Methods: Two online Action Planning Forums (APFs) were organized by the Global Initiative for Children's Surgery (GICS) with a geographically diverse panel representing four children's surgical, anesthesia, and nursing subspecialties. Qualitative analysis was performed to identify codes, themes, and subthemes. Read More

Pak J Pharm Sci 2020 Nov;33(6(Supplementary)):2721-2728

Department of Wildlife & Ecology, Faculty of Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Veterinary and Animal Science, Lahore, Pakistan/ Department of Poultry Production, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.

The study is aimed to investigate the protective role of Moringa oleifera extracts against sodium arsenate induced embryo toxicity in albino mice. Forty four pregnant mice were divided into 11groups (A-K). Group A was control while B and C were sodium arsenate treated groups with dose, A (0. Read More

Disabil Rehabil 2021 Apr 20:1-9. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Health Science, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Functional Mobility Scale (FMS) to Brazilian Portuguese and analyse its construct validity and intra-rater reliability in a sample of caregivers of children and adolescents with spina bifida (SB).

Material And Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation followed five stages: two forward translations, synthesis, back-translation, committee review and pre-testing ( = 20). Construct validity was assessed by comparing the FMS with the classifications of Hoffer and Schoenmakers ( = 40). Read More

Dev Neurorehabil 2021 Apr 19:1-14. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Division of Pediatric Neurology, Duke University Health System, Durham, United States.

: Though much research has been done on the cognitive profiles of children, the abilities of patients with SBM as they age into adulthood are not well understood.: Determine if adults with SBM have impairments in overall cognition, attention, executive function, and memory compared to typically developing adults or a standardized population mean.: A medical librarian composed a search of spina bifida, adults, and cognitive function. Read More