title: Syringosubarachnoid shunt as a management for syringohydromyelia in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate retrospectively the efficacy of syringosubarachnoid shunt for the management of syringohydromyelia/syringomyelia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven dogs diagnosed with syringohydromyelia/syringomyelia by magnetic resonance imaging associated with Chiari-like malformation underwent placement of a syringosubarachnoid shunt at the cervical (nine dogs) or lumbar (two dogs) spinal cord. In one dog, a suboccipital decompression (foramen magnum decompression) was performed 4 months before inserting a syringosubarachnoid shunt. All dogs were evaluated neurologically a few hours after surgery, 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Retrospectively, cases were assigned a preoperative and postoperative pain score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no intra- or peri-operative complications. One dog (9%) was euthanased 5 weeks after surgery. Progressive neurological improvement was observed in nine dogs (81·8%) 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. No clinical improvement was seen in another dog (9%). One dog (9%) had replacement of the syringosubarachnoid shunt. Seven dogs (63·6%) were still alive 1 to 4 years (mean, 2·6 years) after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Placement of a syringosubarachnoid shunt in the presence of a sufficiently large syrinx appears to be beneficial in dogs with Chiari-like malformation and associated syringohydromyelia/syringomyelia.
authors.affiliation: ChesterGates Animal Referral Hospital, Unit F, Telford Court, Chester, Cheshire CH1 6LT, UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Skerritt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001139:Arnold-Chiari Malformation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000662:veterinary; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000601:surgery; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome