SymptomsComplaints of spina bifida

The complaints are mainly neurological disorders. The extent of these disorders varies greatly from patient to patient. Paralysis, muscle weakness, numbness of the skin and even urinary and fecal incontinence are possible.

Mentally, however, the children’s development is quite normal. The severity and type of symptoms depend on the extent of the damage. If the spinal cord bulges into the existing gap in the spinal canal and is possibly trapped, the symptoms are more serious.

One complication of spina bifida is the so-called Arnold-Chiari syndrome: the spinal cord exits the spinal canal, causing a downward pull on all parts of the CNS (central nervous system) above it. Since the spinal cord is in direct contact with the cerebrum and cerebellum, this too can be damaged. If the pull is strong enough, it pulls the spinal cord downwards from the occipital hole.

The cerebellum, which lies directly above the occipital hole in the cranial cavity, may be trapped. Above all, however, the circulation of nerve fluid is impeded by the pull. Since the cerebrospinal fluid is formed in the hollow space system, the ventricles, of the brain and runs off downwards, it accumulates.

The “hydrocephalus” (med. : hydrocephalus) is formed. Since nerve fibers are less well protected in spina bifida, pain may be increased.

Especially legs and rump are often painful and more sensitive to touch than in healthy people. Certain movements can also be painful. If there is paralysis, additional pain can occur due to the imbalance between different muscle groups.

Especially a physiotherapy with instructions for certain exercises can help here. In particular, spina bifida aperta can lead to a so-called hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus refers to an increased occurrence of cerebral fluid (liquor).

Normally, the cerebrospinal fluid flows around the brain and spinal cord and is also located in cavities in the brain (cerebrospinal fluid spaces, brain ventricles). The cerebrospinal fluid is formed especially in the cerebrospinal fluid spaces of the brain and flows from there slowly downwards and washes around the spinal cord. There it is reabsorbed, i.e. ultimately slowly drained away.

The cerebral fluid thus flows primarily through the large hole in the skull (foramen magnum), through which the brain stem and spinal cord also pass from the brain into the spinal column, out of the head. If parts of the spinal cord are present in a hernial sac in a spina bifida aperta, the entire brain is pulled downwards.Parts of the brainstem and cerebellum that are normally located in the skull are pulled down and block the large hole in the skull. As a result, the cerebral fluid can no longer flow downwards and accumulates in and around the brain.

This constellation is called Arnold Chiari malformation. The production of cerebral fluid is not stopped. In infants, the bones of the skull are still soft and partly not properly fused together (e.g. fontanel), which is why the skull sometimes expands to grotesque dimensions. Furthermore, hydrocephalus manifests itself with nausea, vomiting, paralysis of the brain, sunset phenomenon in which the eyes are turned downwards, visual disturbances, headaches and epileptic seizures, which are triggered by the increased pressure on the brain.