AI Article Synopsis
- A 15-year-old girl, previously a gymnast, experienced unexplained lower body weakness and bladder issues since age 10, starting with severe back pain and a soft mass at her lower back that went away on its own.
- After thorough testing, including MRIs and blood tests, her symptoms pointed to a possible condition called occult tethered cord syndrome (oTCS), despite normal imaging results.
- Surgery to untether her spinal cord improved her symptoms significantly, highlighting the importance of recognizing oTCS as a treatable disorder affecting neurological function.
Article Abstract
A 15-year-old female former gymnast with a history of pectus excavatum was reviewed due to unexplained paraparesis and urinary incontinence since age 10. Symptoms were commenced with intolerable upper back pain and development of a soft mass at the sacrum that remitted spontaneously. Brain and whole spine MRI imaging and blood and CSF testing were normal. The combination of skeletal, neurological, and bladder symptoms with normal lumbar MRI and abnormal urodynamic and neurophysiological studies led to the clinical suspicion of occult tethered cord syndrome (oTCS). Surgical cord "untethering" was performed leading to remarkable postoperative clinical improvement. oTCS is a recently defined functional disorder of the spinal cord due to fixation (tethering) of the conus medullaris by inelastic elements that may lead to severe neurological impairment. High clinical suspicion is required as oTCS is a treatable spinal cord disorder.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00381-020-04701-8 | DOI Listing |
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