Cervical spinal cord atrophy associated with spina bifida.

We treated three patients with spina bifida who had atrophy of the cervical spinal cord. One patient presented with a gradually progressive paresis of the upper right extremity, and two patients developed tetraparesis. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the cervical spine demonstrated cord atrophy with enlargement of the subarachnoid space. The three patients were treated by releasing the tethered spinal cord in the lumbosacral area. Two of the three patients had neurological recovery soon after the operation, but this was transient and was followed by later deterioration; and the third patient showed no recovery. The transient recovery suggests that the tethering in the lumbosacral region affects the entire spinal cord and causes atrophy of the cervical spinal cord.