Congenital myelomeningocele patient Zhang Xiangtao no longer needs a urine bag

At eight days old, Zhang Xiangtao was diagnosed with congenital myelomeningocele. At four months, he underwent surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou, but experienced constipation and urinary incontinence post-surgery, leading to a failed procedure. By the age of over one, when most children start to walk, Xiangtao’s lower limbs were severely affected by the myelomeningocele, hindering his ability to stand. At five, he had corrective surgery on his deformed feet at Shenyang Tiexi Orthopedic Hospital, enabling him to stand and walk with a limp. At seven, Zhang Jihe and his grandson sought treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenyang Medical University, where they were advised to seek treatment in Beijing due to financial constraints. Despite undergoing six surgeries, depleting all savings and accumulating significant debt, they were unable to afford further treatment. Xiangtao’s mother left when he was three, unable to cope with the challenges, leaving the grandfather and grandson to rely on each other. Eventually, with the recommendation and assistance of the Angel Mom Foundation in Beijing, they sought treatment at Xiao Chuan-Guo Hospital in Shenzhen. Professor Xiao Chuan-Guo diagnosed Xiangtao with neurogenic bladder, tethered spinal cord syndrome, repaired myelomeningocele, calcaneovalgus foot, pes cavus, and drop foot. Over a three-month period, Professor Xiao Chuan-Guo performed three surgeries, including the Xiao procedure to address bladder control and two corrective procedures for leg and foot deformities. The Xiao procedure successfully established a new nerve pathway for bladder and urethra control, with Xiangtao showing rapid improvement, being able to urinate independently within four months.