Abstract:

Objective: This is a rare report of patients with clinically silent split cord malformation (SCM) unrecognized until adulthood. The symptoms of patients with SCM rarely manifests in adulthood. When it does, it is characterized by an acute neurologic change. There are insufficient studies in the literature on the natural history of adult patients with SCM. In this article, we retrospectively present the long-term postoperative follow-up of adult patients with SCM. Materials and Methods: Patients operated with the diagnosis of SCM between 2000 and 2021 were evaluated. It was analyzed retrospectively. Patients without at least 6 months of follow-up and patients with incomplete epicrisis and radiological images were not included in the study. Results: Ten patients were included in the study. Patients were followed up for 6-72 months (mean 37.5 months). All patients were female. The most common symptoms were pain in the legs, back pain, lower extremity weakness, and bladder dysfunction. It was found that the symptoms started with excessive physical activation for the first time. All patients were successfully treated surgically. All those undergoing surgery experienced symptomatic relief even at the initial follow-up. Conclusion: SCM may be asymptomatic in childhood and symptomatic in adulthood. Neurological deficits may be attributed to traction injury derived from an osseous septum due to excessive physical activation. An excellent outcome may be obtained from the resection of the septum and untethering of the filum.

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