Frontmatter -- Preface / Voth, D. / Glees, P. / Lorber, J. -- Contents -- I. Pathology and morbidity of neural tube defects -- Spina bifida - a vanishing nightmare? / Lorber, J. -- Comparative aspects of dysraphic malformations in domestic animals / Vandevelde, M. -- The embryology and pathology of dysraphias / Roessmann, U. -- Neural tube defects: Experimental findings and concepts of pathogenesis / Janzer, R. C. -- Occlusion of the Lumen of the neural tube, and its role in the early morphogenesis of the brain / Kaufman, M. H. -- The Corpus callosum, an evolutionary and developmentally late crossing midline structure, malformations and functional aspects / Glees, P. -- Diprosopus with craniorachischisis totalis (Case report) / Al-Hami, S. / Bohl, J. / Becker, K. -- "Hindbrain upside-down" in occipital encephalocele - an alternative to the syndrome of Padget and Lindenberg / Schmitt, P. -- Ocular dysraphics / Rochels, R. -- Neuropathological aspects of the syringomyelic complex / Kiwit, J. C. W. / Schober, R. / Wechsler, W. / Gräfin Vitzthum, H. -- Brain cysts and dysraphism / Potthoff, P. C. -- Pathogenesis and clinical aspects of congenital arachnoid cysts of the Sylvian fissure in childhood / Heller, R. / Menzel, J. -- II. Epidemiology, antenatal diagnostics and prevention of dysraphias -- The distribution of anencephalus and spina bifida in Germany / Koch, M. -- Primary prevention of neural tube defects by dietary improvement and folic acid supplementation / Laurence, K. M. -- Periconceptional vitamin prophylaxe - ethical and other problems / Lorber, J. -- Anencephalus and spina bifida in Germany, the risk of recurrence / Koch, M. -- Relevance of biochemical parameters in the prenatal diagnosis of dysraphic malformations / Hoffmann, G. / Wellstein, R. / Merz, E. / Manz, B. / Kreienberg, R. / Pollow, K. -- Ultrasound in the prenatal diagnosis of dysraphic malformations of the head / Goldhofer, W. -- Diagnostic ultrasound in children with meningomyelocele-hydrocephalus and Arnold-Chiari-malformation / Deeg, K. H. / Dick, W. / Wenzel, D. -- Prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects by ultrasound / Merz, E. -- Midtrimester prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects following amniocentesis and selective termination of pregnancy in South Wales 1973-1983 / Laurence, K. M. / Dew, J. O. / Dyer, C. -- Termination of pregnancy for fetal malformation / Laurence, K. M. / Lloyd, J. -- Importance of computer-assisted cisternography and myelography for surgical treatment of cranial and spinal dysraphic malformations / Zieger, A. / Düsterbehn, G. / Pozo, J. -- III. Surgical treatment of spinal dysraphias - technique and results -- Methods and results of the neurosurgical treatment of spinal dysraphias / Schwarz, M. / Voth, D. / Brito, J. / Kessel, G. / Mahlmann, E. G. / Henn, M. -- Selective treatment in spina bifida cystica / Collmann, H. / Hanefeld, F. / Mielfried, A. / Rating, D. / Rühe, B. / Stoeckel, W. -- Complications in plastic surgical treatment of spinal dysraphias / Keßel, G. / Voth, D. / Schwarz, M. / Mahlmann, E. G. / Brito, J. -- Lumbo-sacral lipoma in spina bifida occulta. Clinical and radiological features and operation results / Richard, K. E. / Sanker, P. / Bergh, P. van den -- Encephaloceles - their location, morphology and surgical treatment / Henn, M. / Voth, D. / Schwarz, M. / KeiSel, G. / Mahlmann, E.G. -- Diagnosis and treatment of the tethered spinai cord syndrome / Sörensen, N. / Ratzka, M. / Busse, M. -- The operative treatment of spinal deformities in cases of meningomyelocele / Harms, J. / Grey, R. / Zielke, K. -- IV. Interdisciplinary problems of spinal dysraphias -- Incidence of spina bifida occulta and its importance in orthopaedic diseases / Härle, A. -- The indication for operative improvement of lower limb function in children with myelomeningocele / Correll, J. / Sommer, H. M. -- New methods of treating lumbar kyphosis, hip instability and dislocation in spina bifida patients / Härle, A. / Matthiaß, H. H. -- Neuro-urological findings in dysgenesis of the sacrum / Weißmüller, J. / Schrott, K. M. / Sigel, A. -- The artificial sphincters, their role in the treatment of urinary incontinence caused by meningomyelocele (MMC) / Schreiter, F. / Noll, F. -- Assessment of intelligence of school-aged children with spina bifida under hospital supervision / Rückert, N. / Hansel-Friedrich, G. / Wolff, G. -- Developmental problems in children and adolescents with spina bifida (educational and psychological support) / Haupt, U. -- Psychological and educational aspects of spina bifida (from babyhood to adulthood) / Schnitger, B. -- V. Summary of the present state of diagnostics and treatment of dysraphic malformations -- Summary and overview / Voth, D. -- List of contributors -- Author's index -- Subject index