Rare diseases · Sign or symptom
Tethered cord
HP:0002144
What it means
During normal embryological development, the spinal cord first occupies the entire length of the vertebral column but goes on to assume a position at the level of L1 due to differential growth of the conus medullaris and the vertebral column. The filum terminale is a slender, threadlike structure that remains after the normal regression of the distal embryonic spinal cord and attaches the spinal cord to the coccyx. A tethered cord results if there is a thickened rope-like filum terminale which anchors the cord at the level of L2 or below, potentially causing neurologic signs owing to abnormal tension on the spinal cord.
Rare diseases that can present with this6
Sometimes5–29%
3The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.
Part of the broader category
Also called: Occult spinal dysraphism
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Start free with EleplanThis page uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (2026-06-23) — Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium, hpo.jax.org. Disease associations from Orphanet (INSERM), CC BY 4.0. Content is educational and is not medical advice.