Spina bifida is a type of congenital disability in which the spine doesn’t develop correctly, causing some of the vertebrae to split. This condition occurs during pregnancy and can happen in any part of the spine. Medical statistics show that about 1.500 children with spina bifida are born only in the US every year.
It’s possible to live a happy and productive life with the proper treatment. AiroMedical has compiled a list of hospitals in the US and Europe that offer detailed treatment programs for young patients. Find out where the best places in the world to treat spina bifida.
Criteria for Selecting the best hospitals for Spina Bifida Treatment
Babies with special requirements need specialized and experienced care before and after birth. It is essential to receive ongoing care and attention from a team of specialists throughout their lives. Therefore, choosing a hospital is so important.
Things you should look at when choosing a hospital:
- Experience. How long has the clinic been engaged in illness diagnosing and treating, and how many operations have neurosurgeons performed to restore the spina bifida before birth?
- Data on success statistics, possible complications, especially long-term results.
- A full range of treatment options before and after birth. The ability to care for both mom and baby in one place.
- The presence of a maternity ward and an intensive care unit in the hospital.
- Reviews of former patients with the same diagnosis and treatment methods.
- Online consultation erases the borders of countries. It shortens the process of preparing for surgery, making it possible to find the best solution to help the child before arriving at the hospital.
On the AiroMedical platform, you will find the best clinics, contacting which can improve the accuracy of the diagnosis, determine the severity of the condition and offer many therapy options, including prenatal treatment.
Top Hospitals for spina bifida Treatment in the United States
Yale New Haven Hospital
Jacobs University Medical Center San Diego
Colorado University Hospital Aurora
Benefits of medical treatment in the US
What makes hospitals in the US special:
- Multidisciplinary teams of doctors for a comprehensive approach to treatment, from choosing the best strategy to individual postpartum follow-up.
- The availability of specialized units, particularly neuro resuscitation, and rehabilitation, improves operations’ efficiency and safety.
- Combining endoscopic techniques with microsurgery has broadened doctors’ ability to assist younger patients.
Top Hospitals for spina bifida Treatment in Europe
University Pediatric Hospital Sant Joan de Deu Barcelona, Spain
Academic Hospital Solingen, Germany
Helios Hospital Krefeld, Germany
Benefits of medical treatment in Europe
Treatment of spina bifida in hospitals in Europe is:
- Detailed virtual surgery planning based on a comprehensive examination.
- Priority of minimally invasive sparing spine reconstruction techniques.
- Operations under neuronavigation control using robust optical systems that ensure error-free microsurgical stages.
Top Hospitals for spina bifida Treatment in Poland
KCM Clinic Wroclaw
Carolina Medical Centre Warsaw
Benefits of medical treatment in Poland
Why choose Poland:
- Continuous monitoring of the functions of the spinal cord and peripheral nerves.
- Fetal surgery is carefully prepared and modeled using 3D models by a multidisciplinary team of fetal surgeons and neurosurgeons.
- Extensive experience in robotic rehabilitation.
Top Hospitals for spina bifida Treatment in Italy
University Hospital San Raffaele Milan IRCCS
City of Health and Science University Hospital Turin
Careggi University Hospital Florence
Benefits of medical treatment in Italy
Patients choose spina bifida treatment in Italy for several reasons:
- Widespread use of robotic surgical spinal systems.
- Preference for microsurgical and endoscopic techniques.
- Generally recognized positive interdisciplinary and individual approach practice, providing everyone with the best solution.
Top Hospitals for spina bifida Treatment in Germany
MEOCLINIC Berlin
Rehabilitation Centre Benedictus Feldafing
Park Clinic Weissensee Berlin
Benefits of medical treatment in Germany
Medical tourists choose to treat spina bifida in Germany for several reasons:
- Cutting-edge equipment and minimally invasive technologies necessary for newborn surgery.
- Combining medical practice and scientific research.
- Clinical care in hospitals in Germany is available to all children suffering from spina bifida.
Best spina bifida doctors worldwide
Dr. med. Holger Blasing
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Gasser
Prof. Dr. med. Dirk Sander
Prof. Dr. Jose Hinojosa Mena-Bernal
Prof. Dr. Robert Soler Rich
Best treatment solutions for treating spina bifida
The treatment for this condition involves both surgery and rehabilitation. Doctors successfully practice:
- Fetal surgery. Surgeons perform an incision in the abdomen to repair the spina bifida defect and close the baby’s back and uterus hole. A 3D model of the patient’s spine can be created to aid in decision-making and treatment planning. The surgery improves the child’s quality of life and enables the mother to give birth naturally and closer to term.
- Postpartum surgery. The surgeon returns the spinal cord tissue during the operation and closes the opening using muscles and skin. The procedure should be done as early as possible to minimize nerve damage. Infants with an open spine or myelomeningocele typically undergo surgery within the first 48 hours after birth.
- Shunt. In treating bifid spin complicated by hernia or hydrocephalus, doctors use a shunt to remove excess cerebrospinal fluid that exerts pressure on the nerve endings. This shunt is changed occasionally due to the child’s growth or to avoid infection.
- Conservative treatment. Physical therapy is essential for children with spina bifida. To strengthen their pelvic and leg muscles, doctors design exercise programs that may include using tires and walking sticks and robotic rehabilitation to assist movement. In addition, treatment typically involves taking antibiotics to prevent kidney or brain infections and medication to improve urinary and bowel function.
- Stem cells therapy. One of the fantastic things about stem cells is their ability to transform into various types of cells, including neural ones essential for proper spinal cord function. In addition, this treatment is considered safe and has a low risk of rejection or adverse reactions. The patient receives multiple injections of stem cells that are taken from the umbilical cord.
How to get spina bifida treatment in the best hospitals
Dealing with spina bifida can be challenging as it is a complex condition that requires lifelong coordinated treatment from various medical and surgical specialties. At AiroMedical, we acknowledge that the issues and remedies related to spina bifida differ from person to person. Therefore, we select a customized treatment program in the best hospitals worldwide that cater to your or your child’s unique needs and lifestyle.
References
- Kaminski O. Spina bifida guide. AiroMedical. Updated March 03, 2023. https://airomedical.com/blogs/disease-guides/spina-bifida-guide
- Volvak N. Robotic rehabilitation in Poland. AiroMedical. Updated December 17, 2022. https://airomedical.com/blogs/articles/new-robotic-rehabilitation-in-poland
- Baiduk I. Spina bifida treatment. AiroMedical. Updated January, 2023. https://airomedical.com/search/spina-bifida
- Crist C. Stem cell treatment helps babies with spina bifida. WebMD. Published October 10, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20221010/stem-cell-treatment-helps-babies-spina-bifida#:~:text=The%20clinical%20trial%2C%20launched%20in,damage%2C%20according%20to%20the%20CDC.
