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Pathogenesis of Syringomyelia with Description of Non-Communicating Type That Arises Immediately Caudal to Obstructive Lesions

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Hydrocephalus

Abstract

The pathogenesis of syringomyelia is incompletely understood. Since the condition is known to occur in association with hindbrain malformations and a variety of other lesions that occur at the level of the foramen magnum, attempts have been made to explain its development hydrodynamically. According to Gardner (Gardner et al. 1957; Gardner and Goodall 1950; Gardner and McMurry 1976), syringomyelia is caused by mechanical obstruction of the outlets of the fourth ventricle which results in a redirection of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulse wave into the central canal. The caudal focusing of the pulse wave presumably distends the central canal and leads to a net accumulation of fluid that may be confined to the lumen of the canal (hydromyelia) or may dissect into the paracentral tissues if the ependymal lining ruptures (syringohydromyelia).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Neurosurgery, State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn, and Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY, 11203, USA

    Thomas H. Milhorat, Richard W. Johnson & Walter D. Johnson

Authors
  1. Thomas H. Milhorat
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  2. Richard W. Johnson
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  3. Walter D. Johnson
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Kobe University, Kobe, 650, Japan

    Norihiko Tamaki M.D. (Professor and Chairman) (Professor and Chairman)

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Tokyo

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Milhorat, T.H., Johnson, R.W., Johnson, W.D. (1991). Pathogenesis of Syringomyelia with Description of Non-Communicating Type That Arises Immediately Caudal to Obstructive Lesions. In: Matsumoto, S., Tamaki, N. (eds) Hydrocephalus. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68156-4_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68156-4_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-68158-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-68156-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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