To clarify the relationship between the level of neurologic deficit and deformity of the lower extremity and also the ambulatory status.

We performed retrograde analysis on 79 patients older than 30months with lipomeningocele. All of the patients were classified according to the level of neurologic functional motor deficit. There were 52 males and 27 females patients. Average age was 6 years and 8 months.

There was only one patient in the upper lumbar (L1-L2) motor level deficit. He was a non ambulator. Among the 26 with lower lumbar (L3-L5) deficit, 6 were household ambulators, 20 were community ambulators; 2 had hip deformities and 22 had foot deformities. Among the 48 patients with sacral (S1-S3) deficit, all were community ambulators; 3 had hip deformities and 27 had foot deformities. In 4 patients who showed normal motor function, all were community ambulators without any deformity.

In lipomeningocele, patients who had a functional motor deficit above L4 level showed poor ambulatory status. However, those below L4 level showed good ambulation, and in cases with the L4-5 motor level deficit, we were able to improve the ambulatory status after correction of the deformities of the lower extremity.