Walking recovery after tethered cord release

Abstract

After myelomeningocele (MMC) repair, a secondary tethered spinal cord occurs in almost all patients. The tethered spinal cord may result in progressive neurological deterioration and walking disability. This retrospective cohort study aimed to highlight the walking recovery one year after tethered cord release and its relation to the preoperative conus level. We reviewed the medical records at our university hospital from January 2014 to December 2022. The patients who underwent spinal cord untethering following lumbosacral MMC repair were included. We assessed the walking recovery one year after cord release using the modified Benzel scale. Thirty-seven patients met our selection criteria. There were 19 girls (51.4%) and 18 boys (48.6%). Their mean age at presentation was 8.6 years. The preoperative conus vertebral levels ranged between L4 and S3. One year after spinal cord release, 37.8% of the patients regained their walking ability. All the patients whose preoperative conus level was at S2 or S3 regained their walking ability. In contrast, all the patients with preoperative conus levels at L4 or L5 didn’t regain their ability to walk. One-third (33.3%) of patients whose conus was at the S1 level regained their walking ability one year after cord release. One year after tethered cord release, 37.8% of the patients regained their walking ability. We found that the walking recovery was statistically associated with the preoperative conus level. A multicenter prospective study is required to support the results of this study.