title: Management of tethered cord syndrome in adults: a case report in Cameroon.
abstract: Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is spinal cord fixation from multiple pathological entities. No case of TCShas been reported in our region. The goal of this case report was to describe a TCS managed at the Douala General hospital. Mrs. EEL, 23 year old consulted in 2012 for urinary and fecal incontinence. She had a past history of a spina bifida at birth operated on day two of life. On admission, lumbar MRI showed an abnormally low lying conus medullaris ending at S. Microsurgery permitted to gradually detach the spinal cord from subcutaneous tissue and carefully free the spinal nerves. A 12 months post-surgery, the patient could control defecation, and achieve proper micturition. TCS should also be ruled out in patients who present with urinary and ano-rectal symptoms especially of childhood onset; more so with present day availability of modern radiological tools like MRI.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Unit, Department of Surgery University of Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motah
authors.affiliation: Departmentof Radiology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College Of Health Sciences, University Of Uyo, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uduma
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Unit, Department of Surgery University of Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Aurélien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ndoumbe
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Unit, Department of Surgery University of Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Mireille Georgette
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Moumi
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Unit, of Surgery, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé. Cameroon.
authors.forename: Vincent de Paul
authors.initials: Vde P
authors.lastname: Djientcheu
mesh_terms: D002163:Cameroon; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Tethered cord syndrome; adult; surgery