Dr. Bex

All of that can be associated with a primary tether cord. There is something called a secondary tethered cord, meaning you get it or develop it later in life. In most cases, that is related to scarring from previous surgeries, traumas, tumor resections, anything where you actually get in that area and could cause scar tissue.

All of that can be associated with a primary tether cord. There is something called a secondary tethered cord, meaning you get it or develop it later in life. In most cases, that is related to scarring from previous surgeries, traumas, tumor resections, anything where you actually get in that area and could cause scar tissue.

All of that can be associated with a primary tether cord. There is something called a secondary tethered cord, meaning you get it or develop it later in life. In most cases, that is related to scarring from previous surgeries, traumas, tumor resections, anything where you actually get in that area and could cause scar tissue.

Once someone has scar tissue in a certain area, they are at risk then of later death. Symptoms or complications. And so a tethered cord causes, if you think about it, because of where it is, it's all issues kind of from your waist down. So it's numbness, shooting pains in your legs, typically bowel and bladder issues because of the location of that. You can have issues with how you walk.

Once someone has scar tissue in a certain area, they are at risk then of later death. Symptoms or complications. And so a tethered cord causes, if you think about it, because of where it is, it's all issues kind of from your waist down. So it's numbness, shooting pains in your legs, typically bowel and bladder issues because of the location of that. You can have issues with how you walk.

Once someone has scar tissue in a certain area, they are at risk then of later death. Symptoms or complications. And so a tethered cord causes, if you think about it, because of where it is, it's all issues kind of from your waist down. So it's numbness, shooting pains in your legs, typically bowel and bladder issues because of the location of that. You can have issues with how you walk.

And the way we diagnose it in medicine, the standard of care, gold standard, is an MRI. And it's what's called a static MRI, meaning you're just taking pictures for one moment in time. And you may see the actual tethering of the cord. If you look it up, the pictures are kind of cool, but it's actually tethered. Or you will see that that area is thickened compared to other patients.

And the way we diagnose it in medicine, the standard of care, gold standard, is an MRI. And it's what's called a static MRI, meaning you're just taking pictures for one moment in time. And you may see the actual tethering of the cord. If you look it up, the pictures are kind of cool, but it's actually tethered. Or you will see that that area is thickened compared to other patients.

And the way we diagnose it in medicine, the standard of care, gold standard, is an MRI. And it's what's called a static MRI, meaning you're just taking pictures for one moment in time. And you may see the actual tethering of the cord. If you look it up, the pictures are kind of cool, but it's actually tethered. Or you will see that that area is thickened compared to other patients.

So this, if it makes sense, talking about Ehlers-Danlos and Chiari malformation, the idea is, again... If all of your ligaments are lax and if there's issues with how your collagen forms or how all of those tissues form, in EDS, could they be at higher risk of allowing this cord to kind of be more thickened or be more tight?

So this, if it makes sense, talking about Ehlers-Danlos and Chiari malformation, the idea is, again... If all of your ligaments are lax and if there's issues with how your collagen forms or how all of those tissues form, in EDS, could they be at higher risk of allowing this cord to kind of be more thickened or be more tight?

So this, if it makes sense, talking about Ehlers-Danlos and Chiari malformation, the idea is, again... If all of your ligaments are lax and if there's issues with how your collagen forms or how all of those tissues form, in EDS, could they be at higher risk of allowing this cord to kind of be more thickened or be more tight?

Or over time, there are some neurosurgeons who say that it could kind of tether secondarily because of all the stress associated. due to this underlying disorder.

Or over time, there are some neurosurgeons who say that it could kind of tether secondarily because of all the stress associated. due to this underlying disorder.

Or over time, there are some neurosurgeons who say that it could kind of tether secondarily because of all the stress associated. due to this underlying disorder.

What is different, I think, about tethered cord versus Chiari is they are calling something what's called an occult tethered cord, O-C-C-U-L-T, occult, that the idea is the MRI is normal, so you don't see the tethering, you don't see the thickening. And the idea is because they're having the symptoms of a tethered cord, they can still benefit from a procedure untethering the cord. Okay.

What is different, I think, about tethered cord versus Chiari is they are calling something what's called an occult tethered cord, O-C-C-U-L-T, occult, that the idea is the MRI is normal, so you don't see the tethering, you don't see the thickening. And the idea is because they're having the symptoms of a tethered cord, they can still benefit from a procedure untethering the cord. Okay.

What is different, I think, about tethered cord versus Chiari is they are calling something what's called an occult tethered cord, O-C-C-U-L-T, occult, that the idea is the MRI is normal, so you don't see the tethering, you don't see the thickening. And the idea is because they're having the symptoms of a tethered cord, they can still benefit from a procedure untethering the cord. Okay.

That's where the... differing views come. I think true classic tether cord, true classic Chiari, there is a lot of research on, although again, the randomized controlled studies are maybe a little bit lacking, but much more long-term data, studies, things to show. And a lot of the cases are asymptomatic, watch and wait, high enough risk, you may intervene preemptively to prevent symptoms.

That's where the... differing views come. I think true classic tether cord, true classic Chiari, there is a lot of research on, although again, the randomized controlled studies are maybe a little bit lacking, but much more long-term data, studies, things to show. And a lot of the cases are asymptomatic, watch and wait, high enough risk, you may intervene preemptively to prevent symptoms.