Korean J Spine.  2015 Dec;12(4):287-291. 10.14245/kjs.2015.12.4.287.

Fully Endoscopic Interlaminar Detethering of Spinal Cord in Tethered Cord Syndrome: A Case Report and Technical Description

• Gurbuz MS
• Aydin S
• Bozdogan D

• KMID: 2288379
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14245/kjs.2015.12.4.287

Abstract

A 19-year-old man presented with long lasting significant back and bilateral leg pain, and hypoesthesia on the lateral side of both his thighs for which he had undergone several courses of medication and bouts of physical therapy treatment. His urodynamic parameters were normal and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a low-lying conus at the L2-3 level with a thickened fatty filum, and he was diagnosed as having tethered cord syndrome (TCS). The patient underwent a fully endoscopic detethering through an interlaminar approach with intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. The thickened filum terminale was located and then the filum was coagulated and cut. The patient showed a significant improvement in his preoperative symptoms, and reported no problems at 2-year follow-up. Detethering of the spinal cord in tethered cord syndrome using a fully endoscopic interlaminar approach provides the advantages of minimal damage to tissues, less postoperative discomfort, early postoperative recovery, and a shorter hospitalization.

Keyword

Endoscopic interlaminar technique; Tethered cord syndrome; Endoscopic detethering

MeSH Terms

Cauda Equina
Conus Snail
Follow-Up Studies
Hospitalization
Humans
Hypesthesia
Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring
Leg
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neural Tube Defects*
Spinal Cord*
Thigh
Urodynamics
Young Adult