[Spinal dysraphia and tethered cord syndrome. Current developments]

The tethered spinal cord syndrome is occurring regularly in patients with spina bifida and spina bifida aperta. Progressive neurological deficit of legs, bladder and rectum can occur due to this syndrome. Early detection of patients with this syndrome is mandatory in order to apply a preventive operation in this patients. Confirmation of the diagnosis can be obtained by myelographic examination combined with computer tomographic techniques. The latest diagnostic development, magnetic resonance imaging, can detect this abnormalities in a much easier way. Patients who were operated because of spina bifida aperta shortly after birth can show the same neurological deterioration during childhood due to the tethered cord syndrome. In this patients a similar operation as in patients with spina bifida occulta has to be considered. With the magnetic resonance examination technique it is also possible to detect abnormalities associated with spina bifida like syringomyelia, Arnold Chiari malformation and diastematomyelia in a much easier way.