Bj. Meyrat et al., PREOPERATIVE AND POSTOPERATIVE URODYNAMIC AND ANORECTAL MANOMETRIC FINDINGS IN CHILDREN OPERATED UPON FOR A PRIMARY TETHERED CORD, European journal of pediatric surgery, 3(5), 1993, pp. 309-312
The aim of the study was to assess the sensitivity of both urodynamics
and anorectal manometry in detecting neurological signs in children w
ith a primary tethered cord. Between 1989 and 1991, 9 children were op
erated upon for untethering of primary tethered cord in Lausanne. Both
manometric studies were performed by the same team preoperatively and
6 months after surgery. Gaeltec catheters with micro-tip transducers
were used with a standardized method. Preoperative manometric findings
were pathological in 4 children without clinical signs of bladder dys
function and in 3 without clinical fecal disorders. Postoperatively, b
ladder dysfunction regressed in one child and fecal disorders in anoth
er. Manometric findings remained nevertheless pathological. The author
s held both urodynamics and anorectal manometry as mandatory for preop
erative evaluation as well as for the postoperative monitoring of chil
dren with primary tethered cord.