Case report reveals surgical intervention improves outcomes in an infant with double myelomeningocele, suggesting the need for early diagnosis and prevention strategies.
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are common congenital anomalies, with myelomeningocele (MMC) being the most severe form. Double-level MMC is exceedingly rare, with fewer than 60 cases reported worldwide and none from Southeast Asia. We report a 4-month-old male with two congenital swellings on his back, diagnosed as double MMC at the cervical and lumbar levels, along with hydrocephalus and Arnold–Chiari malformation. Surgical management, including ventriculoperitoneal shunting and MMC repair, resulted in good outcomes. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis, timely surgical intervention, and prenatal folic acid supplementation to reduce NTD risk in resource-limited settings.
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Amjad et al. (2025) studied this question.
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