Abdominal wall weakness due to thoracic syringomyelia

We describe a patient who presented with unilateral abdominal herniation due to weakness of abdominal musculature, associated with extensive syringomyelia. Electromyographic evidence of focal denervation and reinnervation was present in the weak muscles consistent with anterior horn cell loss. We compare these unusual clinical features with the more typical presentations of syringomyelia and with other neurologic causes of abdominal weakness.