[A case of diastematomyelia with meningomyelocele]

A case of diastematomyelia with meningomyelocele is presented here. The patient was a newly born infant with a soft tumor in the lumbo-sacral region. The lower extremities were not paretic, but anal reflex was negative. A plain X-ray and a CT scan of the spine showed a bone spur at L3, 4. An MRI showed a longitudinal slit in the spinal conus. The removal of the septum and repair of the cele was carried out. The operative view showed a bony septum which divided the spinal conus into two parts and nerves had spread out on the cele wall. After removal of the septum, the tethered cord was released. The postoperative condition remained stable. The reason for the occurrence of a combined case of diastematomyelia with meningomyelocele is not clear. We presume that abnormality of the mesoderm at the embryonic stage may have an effect on this sort of disorder.