Methodology for assessing the quality of life of children with spinal dysraphisms

Purpose of the study: to study the results of surgical treatment and quality of life of children with congenital spina bifida. Materials and methods. The study examined the results of treatment of 191 patients with congenital spina bifida. To assess the quality of life of children, the nonspecific Lansky scale and a new developed scale “Assessing the quality of life of children with spina bifida” were used, which made it possible to objectively assess the results of treatment. The presence of hydrocephalus in patients with spina bifida aggravated the clinical picture of the disease, resulting in increasing neurological symptoms and retardation in psychomotor and physical development. Results. The use of a diagnostic and treatment algorithm also led to an improvement in the results of surgical treatment, which was reflected in the regression of neurological deficits and an increase in the quality of life of patients. The developed algorithm for the management of patients with spina bifida allowed us to differentiate the approach to surgical treatment, and as a result, improve treatment results and the quality of life of patients. The choice of method and stages of surgical treatment for combined neural tube anomalies significantly improved the results of surgical treatment in the form of regression of neurological deficit and improved quality of life. Conclusions. An objective method for quantitative assessment of the quality of life before surgery and in the postoperative period is a scale developed by us, which helps evaluate the results of treatment. The use of a diagnostic and treatment algorithm led to improved results of surgical treatment, manifested in the regression of neurological deficits and an increase in the quality of life of patients