Lipomyelomeningocele: a 9-year review

Fourteen infants and children, 6 males & 8 females, with lipomyelomeningoceles were reviewed from October 1982 to December 1991 at Taichung Veterans General Hospital. The age at diagnosis ranged from 3 days to 5 years. The chief problems included mass on the back, urinary distention, weakness of lower limbs and poor bowel control. The cutaneous lesions over the lumbosacral region were subcutaneous lipoma, dimples and hemangioma. There were several associated anomalies, such as occult spina bifida, syringomyelia, sacrococcygeal dysgenesis, high-types imperforate anus, genitourinary anomalies, congenital heart disease, talipes equinovarus and annular pancreas. Among the 12 cases who were operated on, 8 had preoperative neurological deficits, but there was only little postoperative improvement in 2. It is important to recognize at an early stage the defect underlying skin lesions and its associated anomalies, rather than to be concerned about cosmetic factors. Early surgical repair before the appearance of neurological deficits is recommended.