Spinal Dysraphism Surgery
Spinal dysraphism is an umbrella term that describes a number of conditions present at birth that affect the spine, spinal cord, or nerve roots.
- Spine: the bony structure also known as the spinal column. Made up of individual vertebrae (bones), the spine protects the spinal cord.
- Spinal cord: the bundle of nerves and other tissue that connects brain and body. Inside the spine, the spinal cord is also protected by a series of membranes (coverings). The spinal cord relays sensory information from the body to the brain, and movement instructions from the brain to the body.
- Nerve roots: nerves that branch off the spinal cord to reach the rest of the body.
All causes of spinal dysraphism originate from an occurrence in the development of an embryo quite early on. A sheet of cells named the neural plate folds up to form a structure called the neural tube in about the third week of development. The top of the neural tube grows into the brain, while the remainder of the neural tube grows into the spine and spinal cord. Spinal dysraphism results when a section of the neural tube that will become the spine and spinal cord does not close completely.
