Pathology and Treatment of Tethered Cord Syndrome with Lipoma

Based on the relationship between the lipoma and the spinal cord in 23 cases with tethered cord syndrome (TCS), the lipomatous TCS was classified into three types, namely supra-, para-, and infra-conus medullars respectively. They can be differentiated by X-ray features and clinical symptoms. At operation, lipoma should be reseeted carefully avoiding cord injury;the freed spinal cord should be reduced upward to a maximum ;and the dura mater should be sutured neatly avoiding leakage. On patient with sensory loss, the skin incision should be carfully resected to avoid the delayed healing. Key words: Lipoma; Tethered cord syndrome; Spinal cord neoplasm