13/02/2025
A little more on Brody's updated VCUG scan. - Caudal regression Syndrome.
Caudal regression syndrome is an extremely rare condition.
It affects how the lower part of the body develops in the womb.
From an orthopaedic and spine standpoint, it is diagnosed as sacral agenesis.
Sacral agenesis occurs when the sacrum, the lowest part of the spine, doesn't form normally or at all.
The condition can vary widely from patient to patient. It can affect a child’s:
✔️Legs.
✔️Lower back.
✔️Digestive tract.
✔️Genitals.
✔️Urinary tract.
📌Caudal Regression Syndrome Symptoms:
🔴The condition can affect the development and function of the digestive tract, kidneys and urinary tract.
Symptoms may include:
▪️Bladder nerves don’t send signals to the brain, causing the bladder to function abnormally
▪️Bladder comes out of an opening in the abdominal wall
▪️More tubes than necessary take urine from the kidneys to the bladder
▪️Lack of bladder or bowel control
▪️Frequent urinary tract infections
▪️Constipation
▪️Blocked a**l opening
▪️Missing kidney, abnormally shaped kidneys or kidneys that join together, which can cause kidney failure
🔴Caudal regression syndrome can also affect the development and function of reproductive organs.
Symptoms may include:
▪️Undeveloped reproductive organs
▪️Undescended te**es
▪️Opening of the urethra is on the underside of the p***s
🔴Caudal regression syndrome also can affect other internal organs, including the:
Heart.
Large intestine.
🔴Caudal regression syndrome can affect how bones develop.
Symptoms may include:
▪️Breathing problems caused by an irregularly shaped chest.
▪️Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine.
▪️Small hip bones.
▪️Flat, dimpled buttocks.
▪️Vertebrae don’t completely close around the spinal cord, causing a fluid-filled sac to form.
▪️Abnormally shaped or missing bones in the spinal cord and lower spine.
▪️Less feeling in the lower half of the body.
📌Caudal Regression Syndrome Treatment
Treatment for caudal regression syndrome involves more than one medical team. The type of treatment, and the specialists involved, will depend on the severity of the condition and the symptoms a child is having.
The healthcare team for caudal regression syndrome may include:
🔸️Bone specialists (orthopedists).
🔸️Brain, spinal cord and nerve specialists (neurologists).
🔸️Child health specialists (pediatricians).
🔸️Heart specialists (cardiologists).
🔸️Kidney specialists (nephrologists).
🔸️Urinary tract specialists (urologists).
🔵Treatment for caudal regression syndrome may include:
🔹️Medications to treat symptoms.
🔹️Prosthetics.
🔹️Assisted mobility devices.
🔹️Braces.
🔹️A ventilator to help with breathing.
🔹️Surgery to repair symptoms that affect the skeletal system.
🔹️Surgery to improve the function of a child’s bowels, ge****ls, organs or urinary tract.
🔹️A child with caudal regression syndrome may need more than one surgery to manage symptoms as the child grows.
🔴Caudal regression syndrome can affect your child’s ability to p*e and p**p.
🔵Treatment options may include:
🔹️Surgery to repair urinary tract or bowel blockages.
🔹️Inserting a catheter to remove p*e from the body.
🔹️Creating a surgical opening (colostomy) in the abdominal wall to allow p**p to bypass the colon and exit the body in an external bag
🔹️Caudal Regression Syndrome Prognosis
🔴There is no cure for caudal regression syndrome. It’s a lifelong condition, but children can live healthy lives. Surgeries can help correct abnormalities that occurred during a child’s development. Treatments by various specialists can help manage symptoms throughout a child’s life.
