Double Myelomeningocele Repair by Fetal Surgery with a Single Micro-Hysterotomy.

INTRODUCTION: Open spina bifida (OSB) is the most common congenital anomaly of the central nervous system. It is associated with severe neurodevelopmental delay, motor impairment, hydrocephalus, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. In selected cases, intrauterine spina bifida repair has been shown to improve neonatal outcomes. Rarely, the spine can have a double defect compromising two different segments and there is a lack of evidence on the feasibility and benefits of intrauterine repair in these cases. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case with both cervicothoracic and lumbosacral myelomeningocele, Arnold-Chiari malformation type II and bilateral ventriculomegaly, that was treated successfully at 25 weeks with open micro-neurosurgery. Double myelomeningocele was successfully treated through a single 2-cm micro-hysterotomy, by performing external versions to sequentially expose and repair both defects. Weekly postoperative follow-up showed no progression of ventriculomegaly or complications attributable to the procedure. Preterm rupture of membranes prompted a conventional cesarean delivery at 32 weeks of gestation. Neurodevelopmental outcome at 20 months was within normal ranges, having achieved ambulation without orthopedic support and with no need for ventriculoperitoneal shunting. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of double OSB repair through a single 2-cm micro-hysterotomy, suggesting that selected isolated cases of double myelomeningocele could be candidates for fetal intervention. Further prospective studies should be carried out to assess the potential benefit of double OSB intrauterine open repair.

Doppler de la arteria oftálmica: un modelo para predicción de preeclampsia / Ophthalmic artery Doppler: a model for the prediction of preeclampsia

Resumen ANTECEDENTES: En México, la preeclampsia sigue siendo un problema de salud pública; en la actualidad es la principal causa de muerte materna. Su incidencia es de 47.3 casos por cada 1000 nacimientos. La preeclampsia trae consigo repercusiones en la madre y el feto; de ahí la necesidad de la validación de modelos de tamizaje efectivos que permitan su diagnóstico oportuno. La evaluación Doppler de la arteria oftálmica sigue siendo motivo de diversas investigaciones porque aporta información valiosa de los cambios hemodinámicos intracraneales que suceden, incluso, antes del curso sintomático de la enfermedad. OBJETIVO: Analizar las recomendaciones emitidas por diferentes autores que han evaluado la utilización del Doppler de la arteria oftálmica como modelo de tamizaje para la predicción y diagnóstico tempranos de preeclampsia. METODOLOGÍA: Estudio retrospectivo basado en la búsqueda exhaustiva en diferentes bases de datos de metanálisis y estudios clínicos aleatorizados que describieran, detalladamente, la población estudiada y los parámetros de la arteria oftálmica evaluados. RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 22 publicaciones y en el cribado se excluyeron 8 artículos que estaban duplicados, 2 por no cumplir con los criterios de inclusión y 1 por encontrarse en otro idioma diferente al inglés; al final se revisaron 11 títulos y para complementar el tema de estudio se revisaron otros 60 artículos. CONCLUSIONES: La evaluación mediante Doppler de la arteria oftálmica es un examen simple, rápido, reproducible, seguro y no invasivo que puede incorporarse a la predicción y diagnóstico temprano de pacientes con alto riesgo de preeclampsia.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia remains a public health problem in Mexico and is currently the leading cause of maternal death. Its incidence is 47.3 cases per 1000 live births. Pre-eclampsia has consequences for the mother and the fetus, so there is a need to validate effective screening models for early diagnosis. Doppler assessment of the ophthalmic artery continues to be studied because it provides valuable information on intracranial hemodynamic changes that occur before the symptomatic course of the disease. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the recommendations of different authors who have evaluated the use of ophthalmic artery Doppler as a screening model in the prediction and early diagnosis of pre-eclampsia. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective study based on the search exhaustive search of different databases of meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials describing in detail the population studied and the ophthalmic artery parameters evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-two publications were identified and after screening, 8 articles were excluded as duplicates, 2 for not meeting the inclusion criteria and 1 for being in a language other than English; finally, 11 titles were reviewed, and another 60 articles were reviewed to complement the study topic. CONCLUSIONS: Doppler evaluation of the ophthalmic artery is a simple, rapid, reproducible, safe, and noninvasive test that can be used to evaluate the ophthalmic artery.