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Syringomyelia - Treatment

Alternative Names

Syrinx

Treatment:

The goals of treatment are to stop the spinal cord damage from getting worse and to maximize functioning. Surgery to relieve pressure in the spinal cord may be appropriate. Physical therapy may be needed to maximize muscular function.

Expectations (prognosis):

Untreated, the disorder gets worse very slowly, but it eventually causes severe disability. Surgical decompression usually stops the progression of the disorder, with about 50% of people showing significant improvement in neurologic function after surgical decompression.

Complications:

Without treatment, the condition will lead to:

Continued or progressive loss of neurologic function
Permanent disability

Possible complications of surgery include:

Postoperative infection and other complications common to all surgeries

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of syringomyelia.

Central nervous system

Reviewed last on: 6/19/2008
Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Feske SK, Cochrane, TI. Degenerative and compressive structural disorders. In: Goetz, CG, ed. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 29.

Golden JA, Bonnemann CG. Etiological Categories of Neurological Diseases. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 28, part 3.

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