Turkish Neurosurgery 2015 , Vol 25 , Num 6
Tethered Cord Syndrome in Adults: Experience of 56 Patients
Mehmet SELCUKI1, Mesut METE1, Mustafa BARUTCUOGLU1, Yusuf Kurtulus DURANSOY1, Ahmet Sukru UMUR1, Deniz SELCUKI2
1Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Manisa, Turkey
2Celal Bayar University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Manisa, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.11700-14.1 AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the results of surgery performed in a group of adult patients with tethered cord syndrome with their outcomes.

MATERIAL and METHODS: This retrospective study included 56 patients. There were 38 females and 18 males. All patients were older than 18 years.

RESULTS: The mean age at referral was 36 years and 1 month. The mean follow-up period was 10 months 27 days. 95% of all patients with back and leg pains improved and 5% remained the same. Three patients with motor deficits remained the same in the postoperative period. Of the 16 patients with urological complaints, 10 improved, 5 unchanged and 1 patient died in the postoperative first day due to pulmonary embolism.

CONCLUSION: The syndrome of tethered cord may be a situation to be treated even in the elderly in case of normal level conus medullaris and filum terminale with a normal appearance as well as a low-lying conus and thick filum. To prevent overlooking the diagnosis of tethered cord and/or unnecessary spinal surgeries, the tethered cord syndrome should be remembered in the differential diagnosis list in the presence of back and leg pains, neurological deficits or urological complaints. Keywords : Tethered cord syndrome, Adult, Filum terminale, Urodynamic study

Corresponding author : Mesut Mete, dr.mmete@hotmail.com