What is the medical term for tethered cord?
Definition. Tethered spinal cord syndrome is a neurological disorder caused by tissue attachments that limit the movement of the spinal cord within the spinal column.
What does it mean when a baby has a tethered spinal cord?
Tethered cord syndrome (also called fastened cord syndrome) is a condition in which the spinal cord is not able to float freely within the spinal column because of an abnormal (unusual) attachment to tissue surrounding it. This causes stretching of the spinal cord as your child grows, leading to extra stress on nerves.
What is the most common cause of tethered cord syndrome?
Tethered cord syndrome may develop as a complication of spinal surgery. Trauma to the spine results in a band of scar formation attached to the spinal cord and can cause tethered cord syndrome. However, some researchers believe that trauma alone is not enough to cause the disorder.
Is tethered spinal cord serious?
If a tethered spinal cord is not repaired, it can cause lasting nerve damage and loss of function over time.
What kind of MRI do I need for tethered cord?
Prone MRI can be a useful tool in the armamentarium of neurosurgeons when assessing adult patients with ambiguous clinical and imaging findings of spinal cord tethering, especially if they appear unlikely to benefit from surgical untethering.
What are signs of tethered cord?
Symptoms of Tethered Spinal Cord
- Back pain or shooting pain in the legs.
- Weakness, numbness or problems with muscle function in the legs.
- Tremors or spasms in the leg muscles.
- Changes in the way the feet look, like higher arches or curled toes.
- Loss of bladder or bowel control that gets worse.
How serious is a tethered spine?
Although it is rare, a patient with tethered spinal cord can continue undiagnosed into adulthood. In such cases, the strain on the spinal cord increases, leading to increasing sensory and motor problems, as well as loss of bladder and bowel control.
How is tethered cord diagnosed?
To diagnose tethered spinal cord, the doctor examines your child, looking for signs and symptoms. Your child most likely will have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). This test will help the doctor see inside your child’s body and assess their condition.
Does tethered cord cause pain?
In adults, symptoms of tethered cord often develop slowly, but they can become quite severe. Symptoms may include back pain that radiates to the legs, hips, and the genital or rectal areas. The legs may feel numb or weak, and may lose muscle.
Is tethered cord serious?
What is tethered spinal cord syndrome?
Tethered spinal cord syndrome is a neurological disorder caused by tissue attachments that limit the movement of the spinal cord within the spinal column. Attachments may occur congenitally at the base of the spinal cord (conus medullaris) or they may develop near the site of an injury to the spinal cord.
Which MRI findings are characteristic of tethered cord syndrome?
MRI is an excellent diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of tethered cord syndrome. Patients with persistent leg and back pain associated with sphincter problems should be evaluated with MRI for a possible tethered cord syndrome. MRI is an excellent diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of tethered cord syndrome.
Is tethered cord syndrome possible in a normal Conus position?
However, tethered cord syndrome is possible in the setting of a normal conus position 5,7. Additional imaging features depend on the etiology, which are described separately:
What causes secondary tethered cord syndrome (TCS)?
Primary tethered cord syndrome occurs as an isolated anomaly; secondary tethered cord syndrome occurs in the setting of other abnormalities such as myelo/lipo/meningocele, dermal sinus tract, diastematomyelia (split spinal cord), lipoma, thickened/tight filum terminale, trauma, and surgery