Pathophysiology of persistent syringomyelia after decompressive craniocervical surgery. Clinical article.

ABSTRACT:

Object

Craniocervical decompression for Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) and syringomyelia has been reported to fail in 10%-40% of patients. The present prospective clinical study was designed to test the hypothesis that in cases in which syringomyelia persists after surgery, craniocervical decompression relieves neither the physiological block at the foramen magnum nor the mechanism of syringomyelia progression.

Methods

The authors prospectively evaluated and treated 16 patients with CM-I who had persistent syringomyelia despite previous craniocervical decompression. Testing before surgery included the following: 1) clinical examination; 2) evaluation of the anatomy using T1-weighted MR imaging; 3) assessment of the syrinx and CSF velocity and flow using cine phase-contras

SUBMITTER: Heiss JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3822767 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature