Syringomyelia

Another type of spinal cord injury is known as Syringomyelia and is a basically cyst that forms within the spinal column. Over time the cyst can grow and like arachnoiditis as it grows it destroys the nerves in the spinal column. This will cause the patient to pain, stiffness & weakness in the back, shoulders, arms and legs. Some of the other symptoms are the ability to feel the difference in hot and cold in the extremities and it may cause problems with bowel and bladder control (Cauda Equina).

Some of the causes of this problem are congenital or it may result as trauma to the brain or spine such as a car accident, fall or surgery. Like arachnoiditis it may remain undetected for years before manifesting itself and it can be diagnosed with an MRI.

There are 2 forms of syringomyelia, with the first being congenital and may be related to the a condition known as Arnold Chiari Malformation which may also be accompanied by hydrocephalus or arachnoiditis. Here is a blogger suffering from arachnoiditis & chiari malformation. He has not posted in a bit but hopefully he will resume his blog in the near future.

The other forms develop from trauma, meningitis, hemorrhage or tumor and the cyst will develop at the level in which the damage has occurred.

Treatment can be done through surgery at the level of the original injury. The cyst is collapsed and a shunt is inserted to prevent re-expansion of the cyst. Obviously any surgery is risky, especially on the spine. Risks with this type of surgery could be blockage of the cerebral spinal fluid, infection and hemorrhaging.

The benefits obviously are alleviation of the symptoms and allow the patient to maintain some quality of life. Without treatment the symptoms would be similar to arachnoiditis, pain in the back, limbs, headaches etc...