Syringomyelia caused by loosening of multistrand cables following C1-2 Brooks-type fusion in the rheumatoid cervical spine. Case report.
The authors report a very rare case of syringomyelia caused by loosening of multistrand cable wires following C1-2 Brooks-type fusion in a 36-year-old woman with a 13-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The syrinx vanished immediately after removal of the cables, and 2 years later no recurrence of symptoms or deterioration has occurred. The authors contend that multistrand titanium cables should not be used to fix a graft-assisted C1-2 construct in patients with RA, although this material is good for fixing rods. The phenomenon observed in this case adds to our understanding of the pathogenesis of noncommunicating syringomyelia.
Mizutani
Jun
J
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. mjun@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
Tsuboucim
Shunji
S
Fukuoka
Muneyoshi
M
Otsuka
Takanobu
T
Matsui
Nobuo
N
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint; D001864:Bone Wires / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009192:Myelography; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000209:etiology*; D014025:Titanium; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D014025:Titanium