[Two patients with syringomyelia and Charcot's arthropathy].
Two patients, a man aged 45 years and a woman aged 61 years, were diagnosed with syringomyelia. They later developed Charcot's arthropathy of the elbow and shoulder, respectively. The second patient was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis during the pre-MRI era. The 3 hallmarks of syringomyelia are impairment of vital or non-vital sensory perception, muscle weakness with atrophy and areflexia of the arms. Syringomyelia often occurs in association with other disorders, such as Chiari's malformation type I or tumours of the spinal column. Diagnosis should include scanning of the entire spinal column and the region surrounding the foramen magnum. Various treatment options exist: watchful waiting is possible or surgery, including decompression of the foramen magnum or placement of a syringosubarachnoidal or syringoperitoneal shunt. In the first patient, the elbow became infected, necessitating surgery. The joint later became non-functional. In the second patient, a conservative approach was followed.
Hendrikx
S
S
Atrium Medisch Centrum, afd. Neurologie, Heerlen.
Heyligers
I C
IC
Koehler
P J
PJ
D001177:Arthropathy, Neurogenic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005539:Foramen Magnum; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome