Pattern of neural tube defects at Tikur Anbessa Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Neural Tube Defect (NTD) is the most common of the central nervous system malformations. Although there is scarcity of information in Ethiopia, the burden of disease is high in low socioeconomic countries.

To assess the pattern and frequency of Neural Tube defects (NTDs).

Charts of a total of 115 children with neural tube defect (NTD) were reviewed retrospectively from JANUARY, 2001 to June 2005 in Ethio Swedish Children's Hospital.

The most common defect seen was myelomeningocele (64.4%); followed by meningocele (18.3%) and encephalocele (13.0%). Associated anomalies like clubfoot undescended testis, different types of hernias, hydroceles etc. were noted in 28.7% of the patients.

This study showed that the frequency distribution of the different neural tube defects in Tikur Anbessa hospital is not different from previous findings mentioned in the literature. However, overall frequency of neural tube defects could not be calculated from this study since the total live births in the study area during the study period were unknown. Hence, further prospective study is needed to substantiate these facts.