Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum manifesting holocord syringomyelia: case report

  • Case Report - Spine degenerative
  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

It has been reported that syringomyelia is rarely associated with degenerative spinal disorders, but the case of holocord syringomyelia is never reported. We here present a case of a 59-year-old woman with right shoulder pain, dysesthesia of the right hand, and gait disturbance. Radiographically, examinations of the spine demonstrated holocord syringomyelia with ossification of ligamentum flavum at T2/3 level. Holocord syringomyelia was reduced remarkably after posterior decompression at the T2/3 level, and her symptoms also improved. We speculated that holocord syringomyelia might have developed due to craniospinal pressure dissociation caused by focal compression of dural sac from extradural degenerative change.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ball MJ, Dayan AD (1972) Pathogenesis of syringomyelia. Lancet 2:799–801

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Butteriss DJ, Birchall D (2006) A case of syringomyelia associated with cervical spondylosis. Br J Radiol 79:123–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gardner WJ (1995) Hydrodynamic mechanism of syringomyelia: its relationship to myelocele. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 28:247–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Kaar GF, N’Dow JM, Bashir SH (1996) Cervical spondylotic myelopathy with srringomyelia. British J Neurosurg 10:413–415

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kameyama T, Hashizume Y, Ando T et al (1995) Spinal cord morphology and pathology in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Brain 118:263–278

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kimura R, Park YS, Nakase H et al (2004) Syringomyelia caused by cervical spondylosis. Acta Neurochir(Wien) 146:175–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Landi A, Nigro L, Marotta N et al (2013) Syringomyelia associated with cervical spondylosis: a rare condition. World J Clin Cases 1:111–115

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Lucci B, Reverberi S, Greco G (1981) Syringomyelia and syringomyelic syndrome by cervical spondylosis. Report on three cases presenting with neurogenic osteoarthropathies. J Neurosurg Sci 25:169–172

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Milhorat TH, Johnson RW, Milhorat RH et al (1995) Clinicopathological correlations in syringomyelia using axial magnetic resonance imaging. Neurosurgery 37:206–213

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Rebai R, Boudawara MZ, Ben Yahia M et al (2002) Syringomyelobulbia associated with cervical spondylosis. Pathophysiology and therapeutic implications. Neurochirugie 48:120–123

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Williams B (1980) On the pathogenesis of syringomyelia: a review. J R Soc Med 73:798–806

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  12. Williams B et al (1981) Syringomyelia as a sequal to traumatic paraplegia. Paraplegia 19:67–80

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan

    Yoshiaki Takamura, Yasuhiro Takeshima, Ryuta Matsuoka, Young Soo Park & Hiroyuki Nakase

Authors
  1. Yoshiaki Takamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yasuhiro Takeshima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ryuta Matsuoka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Young Soo Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hiroyuki Nakase
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoshiaki Takamura.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Informed consent

The patient has provided permission to publish these features of her case, and the identity of the patient has been protected.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Takamura, Y., Takeshima, Y., Matsuoka, R. et al. Thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum manifesting holocord syringomyelia: case report. Acta Neurochir 160, 881–884 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-018-3492-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-018-3492-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation