Surgical Treatment of Craniocervical Decompression Without Chiari Malformation in Syringomyelia

Abstract

We aimed to describe a patient without Chiari malformation who was treated via craniocervical decompression and by creating cisterna manga with an autologous fascia graft, and who displayed a clinical and radiological improvement in the post-operative period. Syringomyelia is a chronic and progressive disease with cavitation and gliosis in the spinal cord. It is more common in adulthood and often involves the cervical region. Due to the fact that craniocervical decompression therapy is successful in syringomyelia with Chiari malformation, this surgical treatment is currently controversial in syringomyelia without Chiari malformation. A 33-year-old male applied to our clinic with numbness and weakness in his left hand that had lasted for 2 years, but his condition had worsened in recent months, with neck pain before over previous the 8 months and a walking disturbance that had appeared 7 months before. Syringomyelia was found between the C2 and T8 vertebrae levels on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The patient was diagnosed with syringomyelia and underwent suboccipital decompression. Cisterna magna was created by duraplasty with a fascia lata graft. Consequently, craniocervical decompression might be accepted as a treatment method of choice in patients with syringomyelia without Chiari malformation.