Signs & Symptoms of Spinal Bifida

Spinal bifida literally means cleft spine. It's a birth defect that affects the spinal column. Spinal bifida starts as a cleft or a split like opening, in the spinal vertebrae. The severity of the cases vary, and in more severe cases, spinal bifida affects the spinal cord. It is the most common form of neural tube defects. While no one knows what causes spinal bifida, the condition normally forms in a fetus before the woman even knows she's pregnant. There are four types of spinal bifida, and the symptoms can be different for each type.

Occulta

• Occulta is the form of spinal bifida that is the most mild. With this condition, one or more vertebrae that protect the spinal cord are missing, but the opening in the spine is covered by a layer of skin. This form doesn't cause any disabilities, and people who suffer from it normally don't show any symptoms.

Closed Neural Tube Defects

• Closed neural tube defects consist of a diverse group of spinal defects. In this type of defect, the spinal cord has a malformation of bone, membranes or fat. While some patients with this type of spinal bifida has no symptoms, others can have partial paralysis accompanied by bowel and urinary dysfunction.

Meningocele

• When this form of spinal bifida occurs, the membrane that surrounds the spinal cord swells or enlarges to form a cyst. Most of the time the cyst is invisible through the skin, but if the spinal canal is cleft the cyst can expand and come to the surface. The cyst doesn't normally surround the spinal cord, so it can be surgically removed without any permanent damage.

Myelomeningocele

• Myelomeningocele is the most severe type of spinal bifida. This form usually involves neurological issues that can be very serious or even fatal. With myelomeningocele, a section of the spinal cord and nerves are exposed and visable on the outside of the body. In cases where there is a cyst, the cyst surrounds the nerves and spinal cord. This form of spinal bifida accounts for approximately 94 percent of the cases worldwide.

Fluid Around the Brain

• Having some fluid around one's brain is normal and healthy. Hydrocephalus is the accumulation of fluid on the brain and it effects about 90 percent of patients who have spinal bifida. The problem with people who suffer from this condition is that the fluid around the brain cannot drain naturally. Without treatment, the additional fluid can cause mental retardation.

Other Symptoms

• Other than the obvious spinal defects apparent at birth, like a cyst or visible spinal cord, people with spinal bifida are almost always asymptomatic. Most people have some other defects like partial paralysis. Often times even after surgery, there will be some degree of leg paralysis, spine curvature, and deformities of the hip, leg, or foot. Often patients who suffer from this condition also have problems controlling their bladder and bowels.