Neurosurgery in Lagos
Spina bifida repair surgery in Nigeria
A written all-in price after a consultation from ₦50,000 in Lagos, so you know the total before anything is booked.
How the price is set
Consultation, then a written price
From ₦50,000
Consultant surgical opinion
- The neurosurgeon and the anaesthetist
- Theatre time
- Your baby's bed and nursing care for the planned stay
- Reviews with the neurosurgeon after discharge
Your written price covers the lines above, agreed before you pay.
Spina Bifida Repair at Mezo Health in Lagos, Nigeria is priced in a written quote after a consultation from ₦50,000, because the right operation and its cost depend on what the surgeon finds. The quote covers the neurosurgeon and the anaesthetist, theatre time, and your baby's bed and nursing care for the planned stay. Prices last checked 3 November 2026.
In open spina bifida, part of the spinal cord and its coverings push out through a gap in a baby's spine. Surgery closes the gap and covers the nerves, usually within the first days after birth, to protect them from injury and infection. Many babies with open spina bifida also develop hydrocephalus and need a shunt. A closed form, covered by skin, often needs no operation. Mezo does not run a heart or brain surgery unit. The surgeon who reviews your case tells you where the operation can be done safely, in Nigeria or elsewhere, and why.
Also called: Myelomeningocele repair, Meningocele repair, Neural tube defect repair, Spina bifida surgery, Closure of spina bifida
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana
How the price is set
Written quote after consultation
Consultant surgical opinion: from ₦50,000
There is no published price. A surgeon reviews your scans and reports first and writes a plan. A written quote follows only once a hospital team that does this operation has agreed to take your case, and it does not move without your written agreement.
What your written quote covers
- The neurosurgeon and the anaesthetist
- Theatre time
- Your baby's bed and nursing care for the planned stay
- Reviews with the neurosurgeon after discharge
Not in the quote
- The first consultation
- Newborn intensive care before and after the operation
- A shunt for hydrocephalus, if needed
- Continence, orthopaedic and physiotherapy care as the child grows
What decides your quote
- The size of the opening and whether skin flaps are needed to close it
- Days in newborn intensive care
- A shunt placed at the same time or later
Most HMO plans cap or exclude major heart and brain surgery. Bring your HMO number to the first consultation and the desk will ask what your plan covers. You are told the cash position before anything is booked.
How we pick your surgeon
Every Mezo surgeon is MDCN verified and approved for this operation before they take a case. You meet them before you pay.
Is it right for you
Who this is for
A good fit
- A newborn with open spina bifida (myelomeningocele or meningocele)
- Some children with closed spina bifida whose cord is tethered and causing problems
When it is not the right answer
- A newborn with an open sac on the back today: go to a hospital with a newborn unit now
- Closed spina bifida with no symptoms, which often needs no surgery
What happens
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Urgent assessment₦50,000
For an open defect, a newborn unit and a neurosurgeon the same day. For a closed one, a booked consultation.
- 2
A written plan
When to operate, whether a shunt is likely, and which team can do it.
- 3
The operation
Under general anaesthetic, usually within the first days of life.
- 4
Newborn care
Monitoring for hydrocephalus, with a shunt if fluid builds up.
- 5
Lifelong follow-up₦25,000
Neurosurgery, paediatrics, urology, orthopaedics and physiotherapy as the child grows.
Afterwards
Recovery, realistically
First weeks
In hospital, lying on the tummy or side while the wound heals.
First months
Head size checks for hydrocephalus, and support with feeding.
Childhood
Help with walking, bladder and bowel care, and learning, depending on the level of the defect.
Risks you should be told about
- Wound breakdown or infection
- Leak of spinal fluid
- Hydrocephalus needing a shunt
- A tethered cord later in childhood
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
Can spina bifida be prevented?
The risk is lowered by taking folic acid before conception and in early pregnancy. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about the right dose, especially if a previous baby had spina bifida.
Will my baby walk?
It depends on where the gap is in the spine and how much the nerves are affected. Many children walk, some with braces or aids. The team can give a clearer picture after examining your baby.
Why is there no price on this page?
Because newborn intensive care, a possible shunt and the size of the repair change the cost widely. You get a written quote from the operating team before the operation.
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Spina bifida. NHS. Patient information.
Links last checked 3 November 2026.
Keep reading
More on Mezo
Related on Mezo
Other treatments
Related health guides
Prices shown are in naira and were last checked on 3 November 2026. A “from” price is the all-in starting price for the standard case. Every operation is confirmed in a written quote after your consultation, because the right operation for you, and its cost, depend on what the surgeon finds.