Types of Spina Bifida

 

There are many different types of spina bifida. Just as any one individual is different from another, so one person with spina bifida or any other disability has her own set of characteristics. Here are the three most common types of spina bifida, each one with its own set of symptoms:

Myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina bifida, occurs when the bones fail to close around the spinal chord. The spinal cord fails to develop properly and spinal nerves are damaged. sometimes the meninges (coverings of the spinal cord) and the spinal chord itself protrude to form a sac.

 

Meningocele, a less severe form of spina bifida,
occurs when the bones do not close around the
spinal cord at the site of the lesion and the
meninges are pushed out through the opening.
A sac filled with cerebrospinal fluid is then
formed, but the spinal cord and the nerves
themselves are not as severely affected.
The sac is often covered by skin and
necessitates surgery.

 

Occulta is the mildest form of spina bifida.
Although there is a small hole in the lower
segment of the spine where the bones are not
properly closed, many people have this condition
and only realise it when they have unexplained
symptoms such as back ache, incontinence, or
changes in leg muscles.