%0 Journal Article
%T Pattern and Management of Neural Tube Defect in Cameroon
%A Mathieu Motah
%A Mireille Moumi
%A Aur¨¦lien Ndoumbe
%A Clerence Ntieafac
%A Vincent De Paul Djienctheu
%J Open Journal of Modern Neurosurgery
%P 87-102
%@ 2163-0585
%D 2017
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ojmn.2017.73010
%X <b>Objectives:</b><span style=\"font-family:;\" \"=\"\"><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> The aim of study was to determine the pattern and management of neural
tube defects (NTD).</span><b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\"> Methodology: </span></b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">It was a hospital based descriptive
cross-sectional retrospective study on patients who consulted and/or were admitted
at the Douala General hospital for neural tube defects from January 2005 to
April 2015. </span><b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Results: </span></b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">A total of forty-nine (49) patients were enrolled. Males
constituted 59.8% and females 40.2% giving a sex ratio of 1.5 in favour of
males. Most of the parents of the patients (71.5%) had a low socio-economic
status. Myelomeningocele was the most common type (80.4%) followed by 17.4%
cases of meningocele and 2.2% cases of lipomeningocele. Three cases (3) of
encephaloceles were seen during this period. The commonest site of these
defects was the lumbosacral region (47.8%). Other sites included lumbar (19;
41.3%), sacral (3; 6.5%) and thoracolumbar (2; 4.3%) ones. About half of the
patients (24; 48.9%) presented with ruptured lesions. Hydrocephalus was also recorded
in 65.3% of patients. </span><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Talipes equinovarus and talipes calcaneovalgus
were the most common associated orthopedic birth defects found. Surgical closure
was done for 44 (89.9%) patients. Ventriculoperitoneal shunting was done in
78.1% of those who presented with hydrocephalus. Post-operative complications
were more frequent in patients with ruptured lesions (P = 0.001). The most common
post-operative complications were wound infections (22; 44.9%) and wound
dehiscence (20; 40.8%). </span><b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Conclusion: </span></b><span style=\"font-family:Verdana;\">Lumbosacral Myelomeningocele was the
most common type of NTD in our region. Low socio-economic status was a common
risk factor.</span></span>
%K Neural Tube Defects
%K Myelomeningocele
%K Cameroon
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=77763