title: The effect of surgery for split spinal cord malformation on neurologic and urologic function.
abstract: The split spinal cord malformation (SSCM) is an occult spinal dysraphism which causes tethering of the spinal cord. We performed a retrospective analysis of 15 patients who had split cord malformations (without associated open neural tube defect) who underwent both pre- and postoperative urodynamic studies (UDS) in order to determine if a significant percentage of these patients, even in the absence of overt urologic symptoms, had evidence of urologic dysfunction. Eleven patients presenting in early childhood and 4 patients presenting later in life are reviewed. Despite the lack of preoperative urologic symptoms in almost all patients, 73% of patients had voiding abnormalities on formal testing. UDS on these patients before and after surgery was a useful adjunct to perioperative management and decision making, helped define the success of surgery, and gave objective information for cases in which retethering was suspected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. proctor_m@a1.tch.harvard.edu
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009420:Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014563:Urodynamics