The tethered spinal cord: its protean manifestations, diagnosis and surgical correction.

31 children with spina bifida occulta who have presented with back pain, scoliosis, a progressive neurological deficit involving lower limbs or a neurogenic bladder have been found to have a tethered spinal cord. Release of the tethered spinal cord has always relieved pain, frequently occrected a progressive scoliosis, and arrested or improved neurogenic foot deformities as well as neurogenic bladder.