Tethered spinal cord can be caused by various conditions but the main cause is when tissue attachments limit the movement of the spinal cord in the spinal column which causes abnormal stretching of the cord. The tethered spinal cord syndrome is correlated with having the causes:
- Spina bifida Occulta Mylomeningocele Meningocele
- Occulta
- Mylomeningocele
- Meningocele
- History of spinal trauma
- History of spinal surgery
- Tumor(s) in the spinal column
- Thickened and/or tight filum terminale
- Lipoma(s) in the spinal column
- Dermal Sinus Tract (congenital deformity)
- Diastematomyelia (split spinal cord).
Tethered spinal cord is a disorder and not a mechanism so it does not spread to other people and there are no measures that can be done to prevent it beforehand. The only preventative measure that is successful is to surgically untether the spinal cord though there might already be irreversible damage.
Tethered spinal cord and spina bifida => In tethered spinal cord cases spina bifida can be accompanied by tethering of the spinal cord but in rare cases with Spina bifida occulta. Tethering of the spinal cord tends to occur in the cases of Spina bifida with mylomeningocele. In a normal person the spine grows faster than the spinal cord during development which causes the end of the spinal cord to appear to rise relative to the bony spine next to it. By the time of birth the spinal cord is located between L1 and L2. In a baby with Spina bifida the spinal cord is still attached to the skin around it preventing it from rising properly. This occurs because the spinal cord in a child with Spina bifida is low lying and tethered at the bottom. At the time of birth the mylomeningocele is separated from the skin but the spinal cord is still stuck in the same place. As the child begins to grow the spinal cord remains in the same place becoming stretched out causing the tight cord and the tethering at the end. With this type of tethering there is an interference with the blood supply to the nerves and body which can then cause the deterioration of the body causing orthopedic, neurological, and urological problems. With milder forms of Spina bifida such as Occulta, may be related to the degree of strain on the cord which can become worse with physical activity, injury, pregnancy, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis. The tethered cord in this case might not be diagnosed until adulthood when it worsens and can still cause neurological, orthopedic, and urological dysfunctions.
For children younger than eight weeks of age (and possibly in utero), a tethered cord may be observed using ultrasonography. Ultrasonography may still be useful through age 5 in limited circumstances.
MRI imaging appears to be the gold standard for diagnosing a tethered cord.
A tethered cord is often diagnosed as a "low conus. " The conus medullaris (or lower termination of the spinal cord) normally terminates at or above the L1 – 2 disk space (where L1 is the first, or topmost lumbar vertebra). After about 3 months of age, a conus below the L1 – 2 disk space may indicate a tethered cord and termination below L3 – 4 is unmistakably tethered. "Cord tethering is often assumed when the conus is below the normal L2 – 3 level.
TCS, however, is a clinical diagnosis that should be based on "neurological and musculoskeletal signs and symptoms. Imaging features are in general obtained to support rather than make the diagnosis. " Clinical evaluation may include a simple rectal examination and may also include invasive or non-invasive urological examination. "Bladder dysfunction occurs in ~40% of patients affected by tethered cord syndrome.. T may be the earliest sign of the syndrome. ".
In children, symptoms may include:
- Lesions, hairy patches, dimples, or fatty tumours on the lower back
- Foot and spinal deformities
- Weakness in the legs (loss of muscle strength and tone)
- Change in or abnormal gait including awkwardness while running or wearing the tips or side of one shoe
- Low back pain
- Scoliosis (abnormal curvature of the spine to the left or right)
- Urinary irregularities (incontinence or retention).
Tethered spinal cord syndrome may go undiagnosed until adulthood, when sensory, motor, bowel, and bladder control issues emerge. This delayed presentation of symptoms relates to the degree of strain on the spinal cord over time.
Tethering may also develop after spinal cord injury. Scar tissue can block the flow of fluids around the spinal cord. Fluid pressure may cause cysts to form in the spinal cord, a condition called syringomyelia. This can lead to additional loss of movement or feeling, or the onset of pain or autonomic nervous system symptoms.
In adults, onset of symptoms typically include:
- Severe pain (in the lower back and radiating into the legs, groin, and perineum)
- Bilateral muscle weakness and numbness
- Loss of feeling and movement in lower extremities
- Urinary irregularities (incontinence or retention)
- Bowel control issue.
Neurological symptoms can include a mixed picture of upper and lower motor neuron findings, such as amyotrophy, hyperreflexia, and pathologic plantar response, occurring in the same limb. Profound sensory changes, such as loss of pain, temperature, and proprioceptive sensations, are common. Last, progressive symptoms of a neuropathic bladder are noted on over 70% of adult patients, versus only 20% to 30% of children. These symptoms include urinary frequency and urgency, feeling of incomplete voiding, poor voluntary control, and urge and stress incontinence. Chronic recurrent infections are common and occasionally lead to nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), renal failure, or renal transplantation. Female patients also give a history of ineffective labor and postpartum rectal prolapse, presumably due to an atonic pelvic floor.