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Neurological Sciences
Published in: Neurological Sciences 2/2020

01-02-2020 | Scoliosis | Review Article

The effect of filum terminale sectioning for Chiari 1 malformation treatment: systematic review

Authors: Jerônimo Buzetti Milano, Alécio Cristino Evangelista Santos Barcelos, Franz Jooji Onishi, Jefferson Walter Daniel, Ricardo Vieira Botelho, Fernando Rolemberg Dantas, Eloy Rusafa Neto, Eduardo de Freitas Bertolini, Marcelo Luís Mudo, Roger S. Brock, Ricardo Santos de Oliveira, Andrei Fernandes Joaquim

Published in: Neurological Sciences | Issue 2/2020

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Abstract

Purpose

Symptomatic Chiari type I malformation (CM) is treated with posterior fossa decompression with/ without duroplasty. Few authors suggested cerebellar tonsil caudal migration due to a supposed “caudal traction” of cranial nerve structures in a so-called occult tethered cord syndrome. For these authors, filum terminale (FT) sectioning may improve CM symptoms. The objective of this review is to evaluate the effect of FT sectioning on the treatment of CM.

Methods

Using the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, we reviewed studies to evaluate patient’s outcomes with CM who underwent FT sectioning. The MINORS instrument was used for methodological quality assessment. The included studies’ levels of evidence (LOE) were classified according to the Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine.

Results

Two studies from the same group of authors were included. We cannot assure if the cited cases in the first study were also included in their latter published study. The described results suggest that outcomes were not collected in a standardized fashion. Outcomes are described vaguely as a percentage of improvement. Case series samples were small and included not only patients with CM but also patients with scoliosis and syringomyelia. The MINORS score reported that both studies had low methodological quality. Both included studies were classified as level 4 of evidence.

Conclusion

There is no scientific support for filum terminale sectioning in patients with CM without evidence of tethered cord. This procedure may be considered experimental and should be validated in a strict criterion of inclusion clinical trial comparing outcomes in posterior fossa decompression.
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Metadata
Title
The effect of filum terminale sectioning for Chiari 1 malformation treatment: systematic review
Authors
Jerônimo Buzetti Milano
Alécio Cristino Evangelista Santos Barcelos
Franz Jooji Onishi
Jefferson Walter Daniel
Ricardo Vieira Botelho
Fernando Rolemberg Dantas
Eloy Rusafa Neto
Eduardo de Freitas Bertolini
Marcelo Luís Mudo
Roger S. Brock
Ricardo Santos de Oliveira
Andrei Fernandes Joaquim
Publication date
01-02-2020
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Neurological Sciences / Issue 2/2020
Print ISSN: 1590-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1590-3478
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-019-04056-2

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