Pediatric neurosurgery
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Pediatric neurosurgery · Mar 2004
Case ReportsThoracic meningocele, meningomyelocele or myelocystocele? Diagnostic difficulties, consequent implications and treatment.
Spina bifida cystica is a closing disorder of the neural tube which infrequently occurs in the thoracic region. A rare lesion called myelocystocele is a variant of spina bifida cystica and is associated with syringomyelia, Chiari type 2 malformation and hydrocephalus. ⋯ Surgical correction of myelocystocele is not only for cosmetic reasons, but also to untether the spinal cord prophylactically to prevent future neurological deterioration. In this case report, we present a child born with a thoracic myelocystocele, the diagnostic difficulties, consequent implications and surgical treatment.