Meningomyelocele: This photograph, taken at autopsy, shows a meningomyelocele. The spinal cord is malformed (myelodysplasia) due to failure of the normal closure of the neural tube. Often the malformed spinal cord lies within a cyst, lined by portions of the meninges. Neurologic derangement varies from slight weakness and bladder dysfunction to paraplegia and total loss sphincter control.