Management of Two Cases of Spina Bifida and Neonatal Genital Prolapse at the University Hospital of Parakou and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Spina bifida, or spinal dysraphism, is a malformative pathology related to an anomaly in the development of the nervous system, occurring during embryogenesis. The neural tube does not close properly around the 28th day of life and affects the development of the spinal column and spinal cord. Spina bifida is characterised by damage to the nervous system and will generate handicaps and damage of varying degrees: neurological motor, sensory, cognitive, genito-phincter (bladder and anorectal) deficits with consequences for the quality of life of these people. The literature describes the association between spinal dysraphism and genital prolapse. However, genital prolapse is an exceptional and rare entity in newborns. We report the observations of two newborns: the first case of a newborn born at term, at 7 days of age, who presented a prolapse of the uterine cervix in association with myelomeningocele, without any neuromuscular repercussions, and the second case of a newborn at 10 days of age, presenting with a lumbosacral spina bifida and a uterine prolapse. They benefited from conservative medical treatment characterised by manual reduction of the prolapse in both cases with a favourable evolution. In the case of spina bifida, a cure of myelomeningocele was performed surgically with simple postoperative course.