Spinal cord involvement in pygopagus conjoined twins: case report and review of the literature.
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.
Fieggen
Graham
G
Division of Paediatric Neuroscience (Neurosurgery), School of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa. gfieggen@ich.uct.ac.za
Millar
Alastair
A
Rode
Heinz
H
Ngiloi
Petronilla
P
Andronikou
Savvas
S
Peter
Jonathan
J
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*