title: Spinal cord involvement in pygopagus conjoined twins: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pygopagus conjoined twins are joined at the rump and have union of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems as well occasional involvement of neural elements.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case where the terminal spinal cords were fused, despite which there was only a minor motor deficit in the lower limbs after separation. The pre-operative and intra-operative findings are described and issues of long-term follow-up discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Seven other cases reported in the literature with varying degrees of involvement of the spinal cord and cauda equina are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Neuroscience (Neurosurgery), School of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa. gfieggen@ich.uct.ac.za
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fieggen
authors.forename: Alastair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rode
authors.forename: Petronilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ngiloi
authors.forename: Savvas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andronikou
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peter
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D038061:Lower Extremity Deformities, Congenital / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014428:Twins, Conjoined / Q000601:surgery*