TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF TETHERED AND RETETHERED SPINAL-CORD USINGA GORE-TEX SURGICAL MEMBRANE

The incidence of the tethered cord syndrome after repair of spinal dys raphism is not insignificant. A retethered spinal cord may also develo p after an untethering operation. In order to treat and/or prevent the tethered and retethered spinal cord, the authors developed and succes sfully used a new method in 12 cases. After complete release and recon struction of the spinal cord, a Gore-Tex surgical membrane was placed over the cord and fixed to the lateral dural surface with stay sutures . During a postoperative follow-up period ranging from 23 months to 7 years, no further neurological deterioration was observed in the 12 pa tients and magnetic resonance imaging studies showed no adhesion of th e spinal cord to the operative site. It is concluded that this simple new method is effective for the treatment and prevention of tethering and/or retethering of the spinal cord, although a longer follow-up stu dy is required.