RESUMO
【Objective】 To observe the clinical effects of syringo-pleural shunt as a supplementary in the treatment of syringomyelia. 【Methods】 Eleven patients with syringomyelia were treated with syringo-pleural shunt from December 2017 to December 2019. Tator’s postoperative evaluation standard was used to determine the clinical effects of improvement of clinical symptoms. MRI and the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score were used to evaluate the improvement of syringomyelia and neurological function. 【Results】 After 3 months, 6 months and 12 months of follow-up, the clinical symptoms and JOA score improved in 10 cases, and 1 case had no improvement and developed severe pleural effusion. MRI showed that syringomyelia was significantly improved in 10 cases, and there was no improvement in 1 case. 【Conclusion】 Syringo-pleural shunt is a safe, direct and effective supplementary treatment method for patients with syringomyelia.
RESUMO
The authors report a case of syringo-pleural shunt for recurrent distal obstruction of syringosubarachnoid shunt in a 23-year-old woman. She complained of tingling sensation and dysesthesia on the left upper extremity. Neuroradiologic imaging studies revealed syringomyelia in the left lateral side of the cord from medulla to 7th thoracic cord level. We identified intraoperatively high internal pressure of the syrinx cavity due to distal shunt tube obstruction. Syringo-pleural shunt was performed and cavity size was markedly decreased at later follow up MRI. In conclusion, the posttraumatic syrinx, especially in cases with previous syringosubarachnoid shunt or diffuse subarachnoid scarring, can be successfully managed with syringo-pleural shunt.