[Diagnostic and surgical experience of secondary syringohydromyelia].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the diagnostic and surgical experience in 17 patients with secondary syringohydromyelia.


METHODS
Physical examination and MRI were carried out before operation. Surgical treatments were selected according to their different original disorders.


RESULTS
In three of 8 patients, intramedullary tumors were completely removed, 4 subtotally and 1 partially. Pathological examination showed mainly ependymoma. The tumor and syrinx on MRI were shown along the central axis of the spinal cord, but this was not the same on other 9 of the 17 patients with extramedullary disorders, which were treated for their original disorders. The syrinx was shrunken in all 5 patients taking MRI for countercheck.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnosis of secondary syringohydromyelia mainly depends on MRI. Surgical treatment should aim at their original disorders. Syringohydromyelia includes two pathological types: hydromyelia and syringomyelia. Those secondary to intramedullary ependymoma are mostly hydromyelia, which may be caused by expanding of tumor along the central canal of the spinal cord.
Zhang
Y
Y
Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital, Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100034.
Nie
L
L
Wang
X
X
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004322:Drainage; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*