Conus Medullaris Syndrome

Definition

Conus medullaris syndrome (CMS) arises from a spectrum of clinicopathologic entities representing dysfunction of the lowest level of the spinal cord, termed the conus medullaris, which consists of the sacral segments. There is a subset of spinal cord injuries referred to as spinal cord injury syndromes, to which conus medullaris syndrome belongs, that are grouped by their respective symptomatology, including central cord syndrome, Brown-Sequard syndrome, anterior cord syndrome, posterior cord syndrome, and cauda equina syndrome. While CMS is classically associated with pathophysiologic disruption isolated to the conus medullaris, it may also be associated with a widespread spinal cord process that includes the conus medullaris, which leads to the generalized syndromic symptoms. By nature of its anatomy, this is an illness characterized by both upper motor and lower motor neuron signs and symptoms that manifest in the perineal region and lower extremities.

The spinal cord...