Meningomyelocele: Understanding the Spinal Cord Defect

The medical term for the congenital defect of the spine resulting in pouching membranes is meningomyelocele. This condition is a neural tube defect that occurs when the neural tube, which is the precursor to the brain and spinal cord, does not close properly during fetal development. As a result, a portion of the spinal cord and its meninges (the protective layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord) protrude through an opening in the back, forming a sac-like protrusion. Meningomyelocele can cause a range of neurological problems, including paralysis, incontinence, and intellectual disabilities, depending on the location and severity of the defect.