Is meningocele really an isolated lesion?

OBJECT: We designed this study to elucidate the associated occult spinal lesions in patients with simple dorsal meningocele.

METHODS

The study population was comprised of two groups. Group I comprised newly diagnosed patients with dorsal spinal meningocele, and group II comprised patients who had had surgery for meningocele and presented with progressive neurological deficits. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the whole spinal column were done. The associated spinal cord malformations were also treated at the same operation. There were 14 boys and 8 girls, with an age range from birth to 4 years (mean 3.9 months), in group I. Of 20 patients (90%) with associated spinal lesions, 6 had more than one lesion, excluding hydromyelia. Group II was made up of 6 patients who had been previously operated on for a meningocele and who presented with tethered cord syndrome. These were 4 boys and 2 girls, who ranged in age from 4 to 10 years (mean 6 years).

RESULTS

The level of the conus terminalis was lower than L3 in all patients. The other findings on MRI, besides low conus, were as follows: tight filum, split cord malformation, epidermoid, dorsal lipoma and hydromyelia.

CONCLUSIONS

Meningocele frequently camouflages a second, occult, spinal lesion. MRI of the whole spinal column should be performed. An intradural exploration performed with a microneurosurgical technique is needed to detect the fibrous bands that may lead to spinal cord tethering and to release the entrapped nerve roots. The other associated spinal anomalies should be operated on during the same operation.