Operative Results of Syringomyelia with Reference to Patients Who Required Multiple Treatments

Abstract

We report a retrospective study of 37 patients with syringomyelia who underwent surgical treatment. The patients were classified into three groups: (1) Chiari I malformations (27 patients), (2) extramedullary compressive lesions (5 patients), and (3) arachnoiditis (5 patients). A total of 46 surgeries were performed on 37 patients. Of the 27 Chiari I patients, 14 patients were treated by our standard procedure, posterior fossa decompression (PFD) and laminectomy with duraplasty. Good results were achieved in 9 patients (64%). However, the 2 patients primarily treated by syringosubarachnoid (SS) shunt alone had a recurrence of symptoms and needed further treatment. In all 5 patients with extramedullary compressive lesions, excellent results were achieved with simple excision of the compressive lesion or SS shunt. Five patients associated with arachnoiditis were initially treated by SS shunt, syringoperitoneal (SP) shunt, or syringotomy. However, 4 of them suffered recurrences and needed further treatment. Good results were sustained in 2 of the 5 patients treated by ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt or lumboperitoneal (LP) shunt.