Surgical treatment and curative effect analysis in 326 children with tethered cord syndrome

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Aijia Shang

PLA General Hospital, China

: J Spine Neurosurg

Abstract

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Objective: To explore surgical treatment and curative effect in children with tethered cord syndrome (TCS). Method: We analyzed a total of 326 patients with TCS, aged two months to 14 years, who were followed for 3–36 months after microscopic surgery. According to clinical manifestations and imaging findings, these patients were classified into five types: tight filum terminale, lipomyelomeningocele, lipomatous malformation, postoperative adhesions and split cord malformation. The curative effects were measured by Spina Bifida Neurological Scale (SBNS) which is based on sensory and motor function, reflexes, bladder and bowel function. Result: The overall effective rate of these patients was 75%. The efficiencies of different types were as follows: tight filum terminale was 91%, lipomyelomeningocele was 84%, lipomatous malformation was 65%, postoperative adhesion was 75% and split cord malformation was 79%. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and microsurgical operation are keys to the treatment of TCS. Several factors are considered related to the operation effect and prognosis, including TCS types, length of the course, operation timing, symptom severity, neural neurolysis and retethering. Suitable clinical classification for TCS is helpful in predicting the prognosis and guiding the treatment.

Biography

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Aijia Shang has completed his MD from the Medical School of Chinese PLA. He is the Deputy Leader of the Neurosurgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association of Pediatric Neurosurgery Group. He has published more than 40 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an Editor of Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery and Journal of Clinical Neurosurgery, as well as the Guest Reviewer of Neural Regeneration Research.