[Operative results of tethered cord syndrome].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the treatment results of 22 cases of spinal tethered cord syndrome (TCS) using microneurosurgical technique.


METHODS
Form 1994 to 1997, 22 cases of TCS verified by MRI were treated. All patients'tips of conus were below L(2) vertebra shown by MRI. In this group, 4 cases had lipid disease in the sacral canal, 5 piloidal sinus, and 13 thick filum. The patients were operated on using linear incision. The incision included the terminal conus and the whole filum. Under the microscope, the adhesions of the caudal equine were separated and the filum was found out. The caudal equine was well combed. Lipoma and piloidal sinus were removed totally or partially. Loosening the spinal conus and repairing the dural matter prevented re-adhesion and re-tether.


RESULTS
Follow-up (0.5 - 3 years) showed that all of the patients were recovered in different levels.


CONCLUSIONS
TCS should be found as early as possible and treated under the microsurgical technique.
Wei
W
W
Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052.
Gao
Y
Y
Yang
X
X
Lu
P
P
E
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies