Background: Spinal extradural arachnoid cysts are rare expanding lesions in the spinal canal. Enlargement may cause progressive signs and symptoms caused by spinal cord compression. They are associated with trauma, surgery, arachnoiditis, and neural tube defects. Most nontraumatic spinal extradural arachnoid cysts are thought to be congenital. Design: Case report and literature review. Findings: A 9-year-old boy with mild paraparesis was found to have an extradural multiloculated arachnoid cyst with fibrous septa at T4-L3 levels and anterior compression and displacement of the spinal cord. Conclusions: Definitive treatment of arachnoid cyst entails radical cyst removal and dura cleft repair. Formation of a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid fistula may require external lumbar drainage.

NIRS is a good device to predict intracranial subdural and epidural hematomas in the field and emergency units. However, it is not superior to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. It is useful in emergency situations to diagnose an intracranial bleeding but NIRS is not reliable to detect either postoperative hematomas or intracranial status in patients with craniotomy.

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Objective/Background: The standard treatment for tethered cord syndrome (operative vs nonoperative management) that presents in adulthood remains controversial. A comparative study of tethered cord syndrome in adulthood is needed. Design: A retrospective chart-based analysis. Methods: Patients admitted to Gulhane Military Medical Academy Department of Neurosurgery for management of caudal spinal cord tethering from June 1999 through December 2006 (N ¼ 22). Results: Conus level was normal in 1 patient with split cord malformation and dermal sinus. Tight terminal filum was found in 21 patients, including postrepair myelomeningocele tethered cord in 4, lipomyelomeningocele/meningocele in 8, split cord malformation in 3, dermal sinus in 7, and syringomyelia in 3. The most common complaints were back pain (15 patients, 68.1%), bladder dysfunction (8, 36.3%), fecal incontinence (2, 9.09%), and leg pain (7, 31.8%). One patient had hydrocephalus (4.5%). Ten of 22 patients underwent surgery; 8 of 10 patients had detethering; and 12 patients refused surgery. Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage requiring reinforcement sutures occurred in 1 patient. There were no infectious complications. Neurologic status and outcomes were compared with preoperative findings. Conclusions: Some patients refuse surgery despite severe neurologic disturbances. Neurosurgeons should fully explain the risks and benefits of surgery for tethered cord to the patient and family. A much larger and prospective randomized series is needed to determine the effects of operative vs nonoperative management of tethered cord syndrome in adulthood.