Background:

Myelomeningocele is a congenital neural tube defect compatible with life, an early treatment improves functional outcome and quality of life of patients. Hydrocephalus is the main complication, requiring insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Objective:

To compare these procedures in the same operative setting (group A) versus classic repair in a first time and ventriculoperitoneal shunt deferred to a second time (group B).

Material and methods:

Of 47 patients with myelomeningocele, 15 received simultaneous surgery.

Results:

Demographic data like: age, gender, body weight, lesion location and hydrocephalus degrees showed no statistically significant differences. Anesthetics time (p = 0.00001), surgical time (p = 0.001) as well blood loss(p = 0.003) and hospital stay (p = 0.01); were lower in the group A, ventriculitis was the most frequent complication in both groups. No deaths occurred within 30 days in either group.

Conclusions:

In this series the early simultaneous performance of myelomeningocele repair and ventricularperitoneal shunt shows benefits in all aspects.