gms | German Medical Science

59th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)
3rd Joint Meeting with the Italian Neurosurgical Society (SINch)

German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

1 - 4 June 2008, Würzburg

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Long-term follow-up and neurosurgical interventions in patients with a malformation of the central nervous system identified with prenatal screening

Langzeitergebnisse und neurochirurgische Interventionen bei Patienten mit einer Fehlbildung des Zentralnervensystems, die im Rahmen der pränatalen Diagnostik entdeckt wird

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  • corresponding author D. Class - Klinik für Neurochirurgie der Universität Magdeburg
  • S. Pötzsch - Fehlbildungsmonitoring Sachsen-Anhalt an der Medizinischen Fakultät, Magdeburg
  • C. Gerloff - Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe der Universität Magdeburg
  • S.-D. Costa - Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe der Universität Magdeburg
  • R. Firsching - Klinik für Neurochirurgie der Universität Magdeburg

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Società Italiana di Neurochirurgia. 59. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 3. Joint Meeting mit der Italienischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (SINch). Würzburg, 01.-04.06.2008. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2008. DocMO.12.01

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2008/08dgnc117.shtml

Published: May 30, 2008

© 2008 Class et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

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Objective: Practice of prenatal screening and counselling of families expecting a child with CNS malformation in Saxony-Anhalt are reviewed as to prevalence rates, prenatal consultations and surgical implications after birth.

Methods: Between 2000 and November 2007 the data of 72 children with CNS malformations detected during prenatal screening in the department of gynaecology and obstetrics were reviewed. They were compared to those of the congenital malformation center. Rates of continuation vs. termination of pregnancy were analysed as well as practical aspects of neurosurgical treatment with special focus on neural tube defects.

Results: Among the group of 72 children we identified 30 with isolated hydrocephalus, 20 children with spina bifida, 10 with anencephalus, 9 with encephalocele and 3 with holoprosencephalia. Abortion was performed in all cases of encephalocele, anencephalus and holo-prosencephalia, in 80% of spina bifida and 23% of isolated hydrocephalus. 10 children with neural tube defects were operated on, 9 with myelodysplasia and 1 with encephalocele.

Conclusions: Prenatal screening allows for early identification of malformations of the CNS and planning for the perinatal period. On the other hand we face an increasing frequency of abortion. As some of the lesions of the aborted children may be surgically treated with good results as shown in long-term follow-up studies a good communication of neurosurgeons is essential with those who advise abortion.