Surgical management of syringomyelia--current results

A retrospective study of the surgical results of 98 patients with syringomyelia was carried out. As primary surgical management, 38 cases were treated by craniovertebral decompression, 28 cases by craniovertebral decompression with syringotomy, and 22 cases in which Gardner's operation was performed. Primary syringoperitoneal shunt was done on six patients and the other primary procedures were performed on four. As the secondary operation, syringostomy was performed on nine patients and syringoperitoneal shunt on seven. Better results were obtained in patients managed by craniovertebral decompression with syringotomy or Gardner's operation. However, Gardner's operation had a higher mortality rate and a higher incidence of complication. If a second operation was required, syringoperitoneal shunt had a higher rate of stabilization than syringostomy.