Spinal cord tethering after selective dorsal rhizotomy below the conus medullaris.

BACKGROUND: Two techniques for selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) involve stimulating and sectioning nerve rootlets either below the conus medullaris or above the entrances to their respective dural root sleeves. In general, both techniques lead to sustained improvements in lower extremity spasticity with low complication rates. To our knowledge, spinal cord tethering has not been previously reported as a complication of SDR using either technique. METHODS: We review the presentation, treatment, and outcome of two patients who developed symptomatic spinal cord tethering after SDR below the conus. RESULTS: A 4-year-old male and a 6-year-old female each with a history of spastic diparetic cerebral palsy underwent L1-L2 osteoplastic laminectomy and SDR below the conus. Both surgeries went well with no known complications. Both patients initially did well, with marked improvement in their tone and gait. There were no significant immediate postoperative bowel or bladder problems. The male patient presented 10 months after surgery with new-onset urinary incontinence. A urological evaluation was performed but no imaging was performed. He re-presented 8 months later with worsened urinary incontinence, new fecal incontinence, and worsened gait. An MRI showed signs of tethering, including a holocord syrinx. He underwent two untethering surgeries as well syrinx fenestration, and although his gait improved, it remained worse than it had been several months after surgery. The incontinence did not improve. The second patient also developed urinary incontinence a year after SDR. Due to our experience with the first patient, we obtained an MRI immediately and found evidence of tethering. She underwent untethering and her incontinence improved. CONCLUSION: We report two cases of spinal cord tethering after SDR below the conus, a previously unreported complication. It is important to realize that this complication can occur after SDR.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy for spasticity associated with spinal cord injury sustained during surgery for spinal lipomatous malformation: A case report.

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) was used to treat lower extremity spasticity in an ambulatory 7-year-old girl with a history of a T10 spinal lipoma. The spasticity was the result of an AIS D spinal cord injury (SCI) suffered during untethering surgery at age 2 years. After SDR and a course of intensive inpatient rehabilitation, the patient's gait improved markedly. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first published case of SDR as a treatment for spasticity in a patient with a spinal lipomatous malformation.

Successful treatment of hemorrhagic brainstem cavernous malformation with hematoma evacuation and postoperative propranolol.

In this case, we describe an evident hemorrhagic brainstem cavernous malformation successfully treated with a planned sequence of surgical evacuation of the hematoma followed by postoperative propranolol therapy. In contrast to common practice, the cavernoma itself was not resected. A nearly 3-year-old male presented with altered mental status, gait disturbance, and facial palsy. CT and MRI demonstrated a large acute pontine hematoma. A large nearby vein suggested cavernous malformation. He was initially treated conservatively but a repeat CT scan demonstrated further expansion of hematoma and he was taken emergently to the OR. Due to the sensitive location of the hematoma in the pons, we planned to evacuate the hematoma without resecting any of the presumed cavernoma. Instead, we planned to treat the cavernoma with propranolol. Postoperatively, the patient's condition improved and was still improving at hospital discharge 2 weeks later. Six-month follow-up MRI showed no cavernoma with only hemosiderin at the site of the evacuated hematoma. This is the first reported case of a hemorrhagic brainstem cavernous malformation treated with a planned sequence of hematoma evacuation followed by propranolol without an attempt to resect the cavernoma.

Modified Hysterotomy Closure Technique for Open Fetal Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: We reviewed our experience with open fetal surgical myelomeningocele repair to assess the efficacy of a new modification of the hysterotomy closure technique regarding hysterotomy complication rates at the time of cesarean delivery. METHODS: A modification of the standard hysterotomy closure was performed on all patients undergoing prenatal myelomeningocele repair. The closure consisted of an interrupted full-thickness #0 polydioxanone (PDS) retention suture as well as a running #0 PDS suture to re-approximate the myometrial edges, and the modification was a third imbricating layer resulting in serosal-to-serosal apposition. A standard omental patch was placed per our routine. Both operative reports and verbal descriptions of hysterotomy from delivering obstetricians were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients underwent prenatal repair of myelomeningocele, 43 having adequate follow-up for evaluation. Of those, 95.4% had completely intact hysterotomy closures, with only 1 partial dehiscence (2.3%) and 1 thinned scar (2.3%). There were no instances of uterine rupture. DISCUSSION: In patients undergoing this modified hysterotomy closure technique, a much lower than expected complication rate was observed. This simple modified closure technique may improve hysterotomy healing and reduce obstetric morbidity.