Tethered cord syndrome and transitional vertebrae

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) often involves a low-lying conus medullaris and thickened filum terminale.
• Congenital spinal cord anomalies frequently accompany vertebral column variations, particularly transitional vertebrae (TV) in the lumbosacral region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate congenital spinal cord and vertebral anomalies in TCS patients.
• To assess the relationship between these anomalies and the presence, groups, and types of transitional vertebrae.

Main Methods:

• Radiological imaging (CT, MRI, radiography) and medical records of 97 TCS patients were analyzed.
• Spine bony and spinal cord malformations were compared between patients with and without TV, and among different TV groups and types.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in vertebral bone and spinal cord anomalies was found between the TV and non-TV groups.
• Significant differences in specific spine bone and spinal cord anomalies were observed among different TV groups and types.

Conclusions:

• Transitional vertebrae (TV) were present in 62.9% of TCS patients.
• While TV is common in TCS, most anomalies showed no significant difference between TV and non-TV groups.
• Specific TV groups and types exhibited distinct congenital malformations, suggesting TV may be an independent malformation and can contribute to pain via biomechanical changes.