Post-traumatic syringomyelia (cystic myelopathy)

With careful long-term follow up of patients presenting with paraplegia at the thoraco-lumbar level it will be noted that a small group of patients emerge, constituting between one and two per cent, who will subsequently develop neurological defects at a higher level in the spinal cord. The development of cystic cavitation within the spinal cord above the level of the injury, i.e. post-traumatic syringomyelia is noted. Careful examination of the upper limbs in follow up management and investigation by metrizamide myelography is described.