title: Clinical Features of Post-Traumatic Syringomyelia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical manifestations, radiological findings, treatment results, and clinical significance of post-traumatic syringomyelia (PTS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of nine surgical patients with symptomatic PTS between 1992 and 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common clinical manifestation was development of new motor weakness. The mean interval between the initial injury and the onset of new symptoms 21.9 years. The mean length of the syringes observed on preoperative magnetic resonance images was 7.8 spinal levels. Shunting procedures were performed in five patients. Four patients underwent arachnoidolysis and duraplasty. Patients developed mechanical shunt failure. Postoperatively, one patient showed clinical improvement, four patients were stable, and four patients showed deterioration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTS is a disabling sequelae of spinal cord injury, which develops months to years after spinal injury. We have to consider that patients with PTS may have poor long-term outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, VHS Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Gon
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, VHS Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Han San
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, VHS Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Wan
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, VHS Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kwan Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Arachnoidolysis; Decompression surgical; Duraplasty; Spinal cord injuries; Syringomyelia