Differences in brain development and need for CSF diversion based on MMC level: Comparison between prenatal and...

How myelomeningocele (MMC) level affects early brain development and hydrocephalus rates after prenatal repair is not well understood. This study aimed to determine differences in brain development and need for cerebrospinal (CSF) diversion in MMC patients according to lesion level and timing of repair.

We retrospectively identified patients from Barnes-Jewish/St. Louis Children's Hospitals from 2016 to 2021 who were treated for lumbosacral MMC. CSF diversion need and prenatal and postnatal imaging characteristics were compared between lesion levels L1-L3 and L4-sacrum in the overall, prenatal surgery, and postnatal surgery cohorts.

Twenty-four patients underwent prenatal surgery and 35 underwent postnatal surgery. Overall, prenatal third ventricular diameter (p = 0.029) and postnatal frontal horn diameter (p = 0.022) were larger in L1-L3 than L4-sacral MMC. In the prenatal surgery cohort, prenatal third ventricle (p = 0.011), and postnatal frontal (p = 0.018) and occipital (p = 0.035) horn diameters were greater with L1-L3 vs. L4-sacral MMC. Minimal differences in parenchymal anatomy were observed except for increased massa intermedia size with higher lesion level on postnatal imaging after postnatal MMC repair (p = 0.045). MMC level was not associated with CSF diversion in the overall or prenatal surgery cohorts but was in the postnatal surgery cohort (L1-L3 MMC: 82% vs. L4-sacral MMC: 50%, p = 0.044).

Differences in ventricle size were observed based on MMC level. Higher MMC level was associated with increased massa intermedia size and more CSF diversion in those treated postnatally but not those treated prenatally. Prenatal surgery may be associated with greater hydrocephalus risk reduction in patients with higher MMC levels.