Abstract

Syringomyelia is a progressive and degenerative disease characterized by longitudinal cystic cavities all along the spinal cord. Cervical spinal cord being the most commonly affected part. Magnetic Resonance Imaging study is the gold standard for the diagnosis. Although diagnosis is easy there is a controversy about the treatment. There are different types of surgical treatment some of which are, simple drainage by either percutaneous or open surgical route, posterior fossa and foramen magnum decompression and dural decompression in case of tonsillar herniation and syringomyelia, cysto-pleural (or cysto peritoneal, or cystosubarachnod) shunting. In these studies, we retrospectively analyzed the surgical treatment results of patients admitted to our clinic with the diagnosis of syringomyelia. All the cases have been evaluated with respect to type of surgical treatment. In between 2005 and 2008 19 patients have been admitted and operated on with the diagnosis of syringomyelia. Mean age was 33 (r:3-64), male / female ratio was 8/11, All the patients were diagnosed with the evaluation of MRI. 19 patients have undergone 28 operations. Mean follow up was 13 months. Neurological condition and status of all the patients were evaluated before and after the surgery and during follow up.