Neonatal intraoperative neuromonitoring in thoracic myelocystocele: a case report.

Thoracic myelocystocele are extremely rare, non-terminal, closed neural tube defects. Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is a mainstay of pediatric spinal surgery. However, in neonates and infants, incomplete myelination of the corticospinal tract presents unique challenges to successful use of IONM in this vulnerable patient population. Surgery can often be delayed until patients are older, but there are circumstances in which early intervention is necessary. We report a case of T6 myelocystocele resection and wound closure in an infant on day of life 15 with the use of IONM. To our knowledge, this is the youngest reported patient to undergo successful IONM in the spinal cord. Given that the majority of thoracic myelocystoceles present without any neurological deficits, early intervention for this rare closed spinal dysraphism is sometimes necessary. This case study reports the possibility of IONM use in neonatal patients and also highlights the techniques that make its use more possible.

A rare case of thoracic myelocystocele associated with type 1 split cord malformation with low lying tethered cord, dorsal syrinx and sacral agenesis: Pentad finding.

Myelocystocele is a rare form of spinal dysraphism. Thoracic myelocystocele is still rarer. The occurrence of thoracic myelocystocele associated with type-1 split cord malformation, low lying tethered cord, dorsal syrinx and spina bifida is extremely rare. Clinical presentation of such a rare case and an early surgical management is discussed briefly.