Syringomyelia caused by cervical spondylosis

Summary

Syringomyelia is generally associated with Chiari type malformations, spinal tumors, or spinal trauma. Cervical spondylosis is only rarely involved.

We here present a case of a 64-year-old woman with severe radicular pain in the right arm and the syringomyelic syndrome. Lateral radiographs of the cervical spine demonstrated spondylotic change at the C4/5 and C6/7 levels, and instability at C4/5. Dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed the spinal cord to be compressed at C5 and C6 with the body in extension, and the syrinx extended from C2 to the Th3 level on sagittal images. It was reduced remarkably after anterior decompression and stabilization at C4/5 and C6/7, and her symptoms also improved after surgery.

We concluded that the syrinx in this case might have developed due to craniospinal pressure dissociation caused by intermittent spinal cord compression.