Treatment for sacral agenesis, which is a malformation that causes delayed development of the nerves in the final part of the spinal cord, is usually started during childhood and varies according to the symptoms and malformations presented by the child.
Generally, sacral agenesis can be identified soon after birth when the baby has changes in the legs or absence of the anus, for example, but in other cases it may take a few months or years for the first signs to appear, which may include recurrent urinary infections, frequent constipation or fecal and urinary incontinence.
Thus, some of the most used sacral agenesis treatments include:
- Constipating drugs, such as Loperamide, to reduce the frequency of fecal incontinence; Remedies for urinary incontinence, such as Solifenacin Succinate or Oxybutynin Hydrochloride, to relax the bladder and strengthen the sphincter, reducing episodes of urinary incontinence; Physiotherapy to strengthen the pelvic muscles and prevent incontinence and to strengthen the leg muscles, especially in cases of decreased strength and tenderness in the lower limbs; Surgery to treat some malformations, such as to correct the absence of anus, for example.
In addition, in cases where the child has delayed development of the legs or lack of function, the neurologist and pediatrician can advise amputation of the lower limbs during the first years of life to improve quality of life. Thus, the child as he grows up is able to adapt easily to this height, and can have a normal life.
Symptoms of sacral agenesis
The main symptoms of sacral agenesis include:
- Constant constipation; Fecal or urinary incontinence; Recurrent urinary infections; Loss of strength in the legs; Paralysis or delayed development in the legs.
These symptoms usually appear shortly after birth, but in some cases, it may take several until the first symptoms appear or until the disease is diagnosed through a routine X-ray exam, for example.
Normally, sacral agenesis is not hereditary, because, although it is a genetic problem, it is only from parents to children, and therefore it is common for the disease to arise even when there is no family history.
