ArticleChild's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery2022
Occult tethered cord syndrome: a rare, treatable condition.
Article in Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Tethered cord syndrome and pediatric scoliosis: workup, natural history, and surgical timing.Spine deformity · 2026Review
- Surgical Treatment of Tethered Cord Syndrome by Release of Filum Terminalis: A Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Characterization of Orthopaedic Indications Among Patients Undergoing Tethered Cord Release.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2025Article
- Occult tethered cord syndrome: insights into clinical and MRI features, prognostic factors, and treatment outcomes in 30 dogs with confirmed or presumptive diagnosis.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2025Article
- Anatomical and histological characterization of the filum terminale in dogs.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2025Article
- Tethered spinal cord tension assessed via ultrasound elastography in computational and intraoperative human studies.Communications medicine · 2024Article
- Diagnosis and Management of Tethered Cord Syndrome.Advances and technical standards in neurosurgery · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeOccult tethered cord syndrome (OTCS) is an entity that shows tethered cord syndrome (TCS) with normal spinal MRI findings. The definition and treatment of OTCS have been controversial since first proposal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the existence, prevalence, histological characteristics, and surgical outcomes of OTCS.
methodsWe retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent untethering surgery for OTCS from January 2010 to December 2019. Inclusion criteria were (1) clinical manifestation of TCS; (2) supported by urodynamic study (UDS) or electromyography/nerve conduction study; (3) no structural lesions in the urological tract or spinal cord, and no developmental delay; and (4) postoperative follow-up for > 6 months. Sectioned fila from OTCS patients were histologically compared with those from cases of thickened filum or low-lying conus.
resultsFive (four female, one male) of 439 patients (1.1%) who underwent untethering surgeries for occult spinal dysraphism corresponded to OTCS. Mean age at the time of surgery was 16 years (7-22 years). Mean postoperative follow-up duration was 45 months (15-114 months). The main symptom was urinary dysfunction in four patients and leg pain in one. All patients had detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. Fila from OTCS patients revealed increased fibrous tissue as in TCS patients. Four patients showed postoperative improvement and one with preoperative static course had no improvement.
conclusionsThis study suggests that OTCS is a definitely existing entity although rare. OTCS is curable when timely treatment is given. Sudden onset with rapid progression of symptom seems the best indication for surgery.
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