How to reduce the morbidity of wound closure following extensive and complicated laminectomy and tethered cord surgery.

Prior irradiation and surgery predispose laminectomy wounds to a higher than usual incidence of wound problems. Likewise the tightness or absence of local fascia in the tethered cord patient make wound closure more complicated. To reduce morbidity, i.e., CSF leak or pseudomeningocele formation, specific techniques are required. These methods are outlined below.