syringomyelia

—syringomyelic /seuh ring'goh muy el"ik/, adj.

/seuh ring'goh muy ee"lee euh/, n. Pathol.

a disease of the spinal cord in which the nerve tissue is replaced by a cavity filled with fluid.

[1875-80; syringo- (comb. form of Gk syrinx SYRINX) + myelia (MYEL- + -IA)]

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Disease characterized by the entrance of cerebrospinal fluid into the spinal cord, where it forms a cavity (syrinx).

The syrinx can expand and elongate over time, destroying the centre of the spinal cord and causing symptoms that vary with the syrinx's size and location. It is often related to the presence of a congenital malformation of the cerebellum, called a Chiari malformation, but it may also arise as a complication of spinal trauma, meningitis, tumour, or other conditions. Symptoms include loss of sensitivity, especially to temperature, muscle weakness and spasticity, and headaches and chronic pain. Syringomyelia may be diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging. Surgery to correct the condition that caused the syrinx to form may stabilize or improve a patient's health.

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▪ pathology

      chronic, progressive disease characterized principally by the development of a cyst, called a syrinx, near the spinal cord or brain stem. Symptoms include gradual dissociated sensory loss, muscle wasting, and spasticity. The cause of the disease is unknown but is thought to be a developmental defect. Symptoms ordinarily appear between 10 and 30 years of age; males are affected more often than females.

      The onset of syringomyelia is slow. Initial symptoms may include weakness of the hand muscles, a lateral curvature of the spine ( scoliosis), or injuries, such as burns, with lack of pain. The loss of pain and temperature sensation has a shawl-like distribution over the arms and shoulders. Syringobulbia, the formation of a cyst on the brainstem, may develop in association with syringomyelia. Symptoms include atrophy of the tongue, difficulty in swallowing ( dysphagia), loss of pain and temperature sensation in the face, and a variety of other neurological disorders.

      There is no cure for syringomyelia; treatment may include surgical drainage of the cyst. Patients may live as long as 40 years after the onset of the disease.

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