Diastematomyelia

A nightmare word for medical secretaries to type, from dictation. It refers to a bony spur, or a fibrous band, that passes through the spinal cordThe main nerve trunk running down the spinal canal and connecting the individual’s mind and consciousness to the rest of his or her body. It is about the size of a person’s little finger, in diameter. It cannot repair itself if damaged., from front to back. It is a congenitalAn abnormality, structural or otherwise, which is present at birth, although its presence may not become evident until later in life, if at all. abnormality. It is commonly associated with spina bifidaDuring development, at each level of the spine two plates of bone migrate towards one another and fuse, in the midline, forming what are referred to as spinous processes. It is the tips of these spinous processes that we feel when running a finger down our spines. Sometimes one or more of the pairs of plates fail to fuse adequately, such that two, shorter spinous processes form on each side of the midline. This is what is referred to as spina bifida. It affects most commonly the lower part of the spine, in the lumbar region. Many people may quite unaware that they have such split (or, more specifically, never joined), spinous processes. Plain radiographs, or magnetic resonance imaging, may... and syringomyeliaA cavity, within the spinal cord, which is filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Syringomyelia cavities come in various “shapes and sizes”, from short, spindle-shaped cavities through to long, tense cavities extending throughout the greater part of the spinal cord. Read more and can be a cause of a tethered cordDuring development, inside the womb, the skeletal parts of the spine grow at a faster rate than does the spinal cord. This differential rate of growth continues after birth, into early childhood. At birth the lower-most part of the spinal cord (known as the conus) lies level with the 3rd lumbar vertebra. By late adolescence it has risen to a point level with the 1st lumbar vertebra, in which position it remains throughout adult life. Sometimes, however, the conus does not rise in this way and is then described as being low-lying, or tethered. Sometimes such tethering can generate pain and neurological symptoms, particularly during the adolescent growth spurt. Sometimes, therefore, there may be a role for surgical “untethering”ofalow-lyingcordinanadolescentpatient. Itremainsamatterof....