TETHERED CHORD WITH DIASTEMATOMYELIA AT L1 TO L3 LEVEL AND SMALL SYRINGO-HYDROMYELIA AT D11,12 LEVEL

[arungolla]

i am residing in chennai -INDIA
I am writing this mail with a tons of pain in heart
i was blessed with a daughter on june 24th 2006 (2years and six months as of now)
one month back a pediatrician suggest for a MRI Scan suspecting some spinal disorder
due to hair growth on her back side (hip)
hence we consulted neuro physician with an MRI Scan
I am enclosing the report details for your reference
1.SPINAL CORD IS LOW PLACED ENDING AT L5 VERTEBRAL LEVEL WHERE IT APPEARS TETHERED
2.THERE IS DIASTEMATOMYELIA AT L1 TO L3 LEVEL.
3.SMALL SYRINGO-HYDROMYELIA AT D11,12 LEVEL.
4.PRE AND PARAVERTEBRAL SOFT TISSUES ARE NORMAL.

Doctors said surgerical treatment is a mandatory in this case
but as of now my baby is ABSOLUTELY FINE
we met Urologist he suggested all the tests
1.Urine test,2.Urine culture3.Ultra sound scan
in all the test results are normal
baby is running,playing,dancing with out any difficulty

No doctor is confident in post surgical recovery
some are telling usually baby will be all right but even it is not
in a confident manner
i am really worried a lot and running from post to pillar
whether to go for a surgery or not?
her mother literally crying from the past 15 days
i have no clue about what to do?since baby is all right.

my doubts are
1.can i wait till the symptoms due to the above said problem arises?
2.in such case what type of problems will arise?and how can we identify at the earliest?
3.will those problems will be overcomes after the surgery?
4.if we go for a  surgery now what is the percentage of risk involved in this surgery ?
5.will a 2and half year old kid can tolerate the pain after the surgery?

PLEASE SUGGEST US IN THIS CASE PLEASE.

regards
arun golla
chennai.
INDIA

[ankur1906]

my sister was diagnosed Diastematomyelia in 2002. she gone through the surgery for the same in bombay hospital. they released the nerve which was coiled due to this disease so that she will not suffer from any kind of neuro problem but now in her age of 8 years it seems that her backbone is not completely straight my local doctor says that one side of cord is not completely developed and recommended surgery. i am willing to know what dr. will do in surgery and how it can be cured. i want to know the brief procedure for the same.

   ankur chitranshi

[arungolla]

thank you very much selma

arun

[selmaS]

I will PM u the info.

"selma"

[arungolla]

thank you very much selma
i would like to know the first hand experience of the members who had undergone this type of surgeries and also about the Chiari Institute web site info

[selmaS]

HI.....the problem that ur dr doesn't sound confident to u, is he probably is not a specialist with this condition.

Tethered cord if left tethered can cause many other issues...including chiari malformation...a pulling down of the cerebral tonsils which can cause a CSF blockage...again if left untreated can also cause perm damage.

u need to find a dr that specializes in chiari and related conditions for a better outcome of the surgery.

ASAP and The Chiari Institute web sites have much info......I do not know of chiari drs in India.....If u would like more info we do have info on our health pages in the chiari forum here on med help....plus many members have first hand experience.

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"