Symptomatic retethering of the spinal cord after section of a tight filum terminale.

Background: Section of a tight filum terminale is a minimally invasive procedure compared with cord untethering procedures used for more complex spinal abnormalities. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, that the risk of symptomatic retethering resulting from scarring might be higher than previously thought.

Objective: To determine the frequency of symptomatic retethering after section of a tight filum terminale and to explore possible risk factors.