Tethered Cord Syndrome Symptomatic with Advanced Age
Ayşın KISABAY1, İbrahim AYDOĞDU1, Taşkın YURTSEVEN3, Sertaç İŞLEKEL3, Tuncer TURHAN3
1Ege Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Nöroloji Anabilim Dalı, İZMİR
2Ege Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Nöroloji Anabilim Dalı, İZMİR
3Ege Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Nöroşirurji Anabilim Dalı, İZMİR
Keywords: Tethered cord syndrome, paraparesis, magnetic resonance imaging
Abstract
Background: Tethered cord syndrome is one of the embriyogenic midline defect known as spinal dysraphism of the conus medullaris. Tethered cord is characterised with abnormally low conus medullaris, thick filum terminale and progressive paraparesis and sphincter dysfunction. Tethered cord is found below normal level of spinal cord. The initiaf symptoms are generally presented between ages of 5-15 and they are rarely seen in adult patients. Case report: 63 year-old female patient suffering from paraparesis and sphincter dysfunction admitted to our cfinic duration of the symptoms was five months and increased with progressively. Tethered cord syndrome was diagnosed with clinical and radiological findings and then she was operated. Conclusion: In paraparetic patients with upper and lower motor neuron findings, tethered cord syndrome should be considered in differential diagnosis.