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Review of tethered cord syndrome with a radiological and anatomical study: Case report

Revue du syndrome de moelle attachée: étude radiologique et anatomique à propos d'un cas

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Summary

The primary tethered cord syndrome has been documented mainly in children and adolescents but also in adults, and patients may present with backache, neuromuscular skeletal changes such as club-foot, scoliosis, muscular atrophy, disturbances of gait, or dysfunction of bladder and rectum, or a combination of these conditions. The cadaveric case presented describes plain film radiographic and anatomical findings of spina bifida occulta at the first and second sacral levels, and an enlarged spinous process of the fifth lumbar vertebra, in a 78 year old male cadaver with a tethered spinal cord terminating at the first sacral level. During life, this man had not undergone surgery for tethered spinal cord.

Résumé

Le syndrome de moelle attachée primaire a souvent été décrit chez l'enfant et l'adolescent mais aussi chez l'adulte, les patients pouvant se présenter avec des douleurs du dos, des modifications neuro-musculaires et squelettiques comme un pied bot, une scoliose, une atrophie musculaire, des anomalies de la marche, des dysfonctionnements de la vessie et/ou du rectum, ou une combinaison de ces différents symptômes. L'observation rapportée ici est l'étude anatomique et radiologique d'un spina bifida oculta des première et deuxième vertèbres sacrées associé à l'élargissement du processus épineux de la cinquième vertèbre lombaire chez un cadavre mâle de 78 ans ayant une moelle épinière attachée au niveau de la première vertèbre sacrée. Durant sa vie ce patient n'avait pas subi de chirurgie pour cette moelle attachée.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Spinal Research Laboratory, Division of Science and Technology, Griffith University, Nathan, 4111, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    LGF Giles

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  1. LGF Giles
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Giles, L. Review of tethered cord syndrome with a radiological and anatomical study: Case report. Surg Radiol Anat 13, 339–343 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01627769

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01627769

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