The use of decompressive segmental sublaminoplasty to treat myelopathy caused by lumbar stenosis in tethered cord syndrome.

A 79-year-old woman presented with acute-onset right leg pain in the setting of 3 months of progressive gait deterioration and bilateral leg weakness. On exam she had right lower extremity hyperreflexia and weakness. Lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated L3-L5 central canal stenosis with L4-L5 spondylolisthesis and a previously undiagnosed tethered cord. She underwent minimally invasive left segmental sublaminoplasty at L3-L4 and L4-L5 for spinal cord decompression with onlay arthrodesis resulting in resolution of her radicular pain and improved strength. This is a unique case of lumbar spinal stenosis presenting with myelopathy in the context of a previously asymptomatic and undiagnosed tethered cord.