{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T16:50:02Z","timestamp":1791651002610,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"S. Karger AG","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791590400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791590400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Fetal Diagn Ther"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Open fetal repair of spina bifida, encompassing myelomeningocele (MMC) and myeloschisis (MS), aims to mitigate neurological damage via early intervention. While both entities share a pathophysiological foundation, their clinical presentations and surgical challenges differ. Objective: To compare postnatal outcomes, particularly wound closure, CSF diversion, and motor function, between fetal MMC and MS repairs at a single high-volume center. Methods: This retrospective cohort study eventually included 187 patients who underwent open fetal SB repair between 2010 and 2023. Perioperative data, wound-related complications, need for CSF diversion, and 3-year motor outcomes were analyzed and compared between MMC and MS subtypes. Results: Of the included patients, 130 (69.5%) presented with MMC and 57 (30.5%) MS. Primary skin closure was achieved significantly more often in MMC (than MS (91.5% vs. 47.4%, p &lt; 0.001), while the overall need for any postnatal surgical intervention was significantly higher in MS compared to MMC (17.5% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.001). Deeper closure techniques (myofascial and dural repair) showed no differences between groups. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion within the first year was required in 33% of all cases. Prenatal limb movement was more frequently observed in MS. At 3 years, ambulation outcomes were comparable, with over 75% (MMC: 75.3%, MS: 78.0%) of patients in both groups achieving community walking status. Conclusion: Myeloschisis and myelomeningocele are distinct entities within open spina bifida, with MS posing greater technical challenges for skin closure but suggesting a more favorable prenatal neurological profile. Despite these differences, long-term outcomes regarding motor function and CSF management were equivalent, underscoring the effectiveness of fetal surgery across both subtypes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1159\/fdt\/acuag020","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T11:51:02Z","timestamp":1791546662000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Comparison of treatment and outcome between Myelomeningocele and Myeloschisis after open fetal repair - experience after first 200 cases"],"prefix":"10.1159","author":[{"given":"Mark","family":"Boudewijns","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Theres","family":"Moehrlen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Beth","family":"Padden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patrice","family":"Grehten","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sandra","family":"Fernandes Dias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Mazzone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sasha J","family":"Tharakan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicole","family":"Ochsenbein-K\u00f6lble","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ladina","family":"Vonzun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tim","family":"Gerwinn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6418-1136","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ueli","family":"Moehrlen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"127","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]]},"container-title":["Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1159\/fdt\/acuag020","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]],"date-time":"2026-10-10T16:01:50Z","timestamp":1791648110000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/karger.com\/article\/doi\/10.1159\/fdt\/acuag020"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]]},"references-count":0,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1159\/fdt\/acuag020","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1015-3837","1421-9964"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1015-3837","type":"print"},{"value":"1421-9964","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,10]]}}}