Surgical Treatment of Syringomyelia Secondary to Tuberculous Meningitis: Report of 4 Cases

ABSTRACT

The authors report our recent experience with 4 cases of syringomyelia that had developed secondary to tuberculous meningitis. Three cases of syringomyelia were treated by syringoperitoneal shunt and 1 case, by syringosubarachnoid shunt. Postoperatively, upper and lower extremity pain that had persisted in all the patients was relieved in all the patients, but improvement in limb sensation was noted in only 1 case. Improvement in limb motor power was noted in 3 cases. The clinical presentation, surgical consideration, and pathogenesis of syringomyelia is discussed together with a review of the literature.