Question
How to Determine If There Is a Hidden Spinal Cleft?
Answer
Congenital hidden spinal cleft is characterized by a gap in the lumbar sacral vertebrae, with the cauda equina nerve and the dura mater protruding through the gap and adhering to it. When these nerves are pulled, tensed, or ischemic, they can cause various symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, incontinence, constipation, fecal incontinence, muscle atrophy of the gastrocnemius muscle, high arches, and clubfoot, even paralysis of the lower limbs. For mild symptoms like enuresis, conservative treatment can be considered without rushing into surgery. But for severe symptoms such as incontinence of urine and feces, surgery is certainly necessary, and the sooner the surgery is done, the better the outcome. It is advisable to consult with a pediatric neurosurgeon.