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diastematomyelia; diastomyelia; split cord syndrome
Epidemiology:
- rare
- females affected much more frequently than males
Pathology:
- longitudinal splitting of the spinal cord generally in the region of the upper lumbar spine
- a bone spur in the central part of the spinal canal produces a complete or incomplete sagittal division of the spinal cord into two hemicords
- when the split does not reunite distally, the condition is referred to as a diplomyelia (true duplication of the spinal cord)
Clinical manifestations:
- usually presents in childhood
- hairy patch, dimple, hemangioma, lipoma o teratoma override the affected area of the spine in > 50% of cases
- symptoms are caused by tissue attachments that limit the movement of the spinal cord within the spinal column
- the disorder is progressive
- variable manifestations
- foot deformities
- spinal deformities
- weakness in the legs
- low back pain; scoliosis
- urinary incontinence
Radiology:
- magnetic resonance imaging of spinal cord
General
spinal cord malformation; myelatelia
References
- Wikipedia: Diastematomyelia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diastematomyelia
- Goel A and Salam H
Radiopaedia.org: Diastematomyelia
http://radiopaedia.org/articles/diastematomyelia
- Sami H et al
Split spinal cord (diastematomyelia)
Neurology February 11, 2003 vol. 60 no. 3 491
http://www.neurology.org/content/60/3/491.full