Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

Acute syringomyelia: case report.

Thomas H Milhorat1, Paolo A Bolognese, Karen S Black

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, The Chiari Institute, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Manhasset, New York 11030, USA. Milhorat@nshs.edu

Neurosurgery
|October 29, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Acute syringomyelia, a rapidly progressing spinal cord condition, can occur. Prompt ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement resolved symptoms in a patient with hydrocephalus and a holocord syrinx.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Correction to: Surgical screening protocol for craniocervical instability secondary to ehlers-danlos syndrome and other connective tissue disorders: analysis of a 347 patient case series.

Neurosurgical review·2026
Same author

How I do it: Condylar screws.

Acta neurochirurgica·2026
Same author

Surgical screening protocol for craniocervical instability secondary to ehlers-danlos syndrome and other connective tissue disorders: analysis of a 347 patient case series.

Neurosurgical review·2026
Same author

Chiari Malformation and Hindbrain Descent: Characterization and New Classification Based on Mechanism and Pathogenesis, and Surgical Management.

Neurospine·2025
Same author

Comorbidities and neurosurgical interventions in a cohort with connective tissue disorders.

Frontiers in neurology·2025
Same author

Posterior fossa Hodgkin's lymphoma radiographically mimicking an arteriovenous malformation: illustrative case.

Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons·2024
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Syringomyelia is typically a chronic, slow-progressing neurological disorder.
  • Communicating syringomyelia involves the spinal cord's central canal.

Observation:

  • A 29-year-old female with a history of Chiari I malformation, syringomyelia, and hydrocephalus presented with acute neurological decline.
  • Rapidly progressive paraparesis and urinary retention developed over 8 days.
  • MRI revealed acute hydrocephalus and a holocord syrinx, absent just 3 days prior.

Findings:

  • Emergency revision of a failed ventriculoperitoneal shunt was performed.
  • Postoperatively, the hydrocephalus, holocord syrinx, and neurological deficits resolved promptly.

Related Experiment Videos

Implications:

  • The spinal cord's central canal can rapidly dilate, acting as a "fifth ventricle" in communicating syringomyelia.
  • Acute hydrocephalus can precipitate rapid syringomyelia.
  • Ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement is an effective treatment for this acute presentation.