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UCLA Neurosurgery

UCLA Neurosurgery

UCLA Neurosurgery
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    • Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • Aqueductal Stenosis
    • Arachnoid Cysts
    • Arnold Chiari Malformation
    • Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
    • Astrocytoma
    • Ballism
    • Basilar Invagination
    • Brachial Plexus Injury
    • Brain Aneurysm
    • Brain Attack (Stroke)
    • Brain AVM
    • Brain Conditions
    • Brain Metastases
    • Brainstem Glioma
    • Carotid Dissection
    • Carotid Stenosis
    • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
    • Causalgia
    • Cavernous Angioma
    • Cerebral Aneurysms
    • Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
    • Chordomas
    • Chorea
    • Chronic Subdural Hematomas
    • Colloid Cyst
    • Coma
    • Concussion
    • Congenital Dermal Sinus
    • Cranial GunShot Wounds
    • Craniopharyngioma
    • Craniosynostosis
    • Cushing's Disease
    • Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
    • Dandy Walker Syndrome
    • Degenerative Disc Disease
    • Dermoid Tumor
    • Disc Herniation
    • Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
    • Dystonia
    • Ependymoma
    • Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
    • Epidural Hematomas
    • Epilepsy
    • Essential Tremor
    • Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
    • Facet Joint Syndrome
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
    • Ganglioglioma
    • Glioblastoma
    • Germinoma
    • Glioma
    • Glomus Jugulare Tumor
    • Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
    • Hemangioblastomas
    • Hemi-Facial Spasm
    • Hydrocephalus
    • Hyperhidrosis
    • Intracerebral Hemorrhage
    • Intracranial Hypotension
    • JPA
    • Low-Grade Astrocytoma
    • Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
    • Lymphoma
    • Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
    • Medulloblastoma
    • Meningioma Brain Tumor
    • Meralgia Paresthetica
    • Metastatic Brain Tumors
    • Moyamoya Disease
    • Myelomeningocele
    • Myelopathy
    • Nelson's Syndrome
    • Neurocysticercosis
    • Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
    • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
    • Oligodendroglioma
    • Optic Nerve Glioma
    • Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
    • Osteoarthritis of the Spine
    • Osteomyelitis
    • Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
    • Parkinsons Syndrome
    • Pediatric Conditions
    • Pediatric Hydrocephalus
    • Peripheral Nerve Injury
    • Phantom Limb Pain
    • Pineal Tumor
    • Pineoblastoma
    • Pineocytoma
    • Platybasia
    • Postherpetic Neuralgia
    • Post-Traumatic Seizures
    • Primary CNS Lymphoma
    • Pseudotumor Cerebri
    • Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
    • Recurrent Adenomas
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Schwannomas
    • Scoliosis
    • Seizure
    • Skull Fracture
    • Slit Ventricle Syndrome
    • Spasticity
    • Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
    • Spinal Compression Fractures
    • Spine Conditions
    • Spinal Cord Injury
    • Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
    • Spinal Cord Tumors
    • Stenosis
    • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
    • Syringomyelia
    • Tethered Cord Syndrome
    • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
    • Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
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UCLA Neurosurgery

Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

  • Acoustic Neuroma
  • Adult Tethered Cord
  • Acromegaly
  • Acute Subdural Hematomas
  • Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA)
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Aqueductal Stenosis
  • Arachnoid Cysts
  • Arnold Chiari Malformation
  • Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Astrocytoma
  • Ballism
  • Basilar Invagination
  • Brachial Plexus Injury
  • Brain Aneurysm
  • Brain Attack (Stroke)
  • Brain AVM
  • Brain Conditions
  • Brain Metastases
  • Brainstem Glioma
  • Carotid Dissection
  • Carotid Stenosis
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Causalgia
  • Cavernous Angioma
  • Cerebral Aneurysms
  • Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
  • Chordomas
  • Chorea
  • Chronic Subdural Hematomas
  • Colloid Cyst
  • Coma
  • Concussion
  • Congenital Dermal Sinus
  • Cranial GunShot Wounds
  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Craniosynostosis
  • Cushing's Disease
  • Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
  • Dandy Walker Syndrome
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • Dermoid Tumor
  • Disc Herniation
  • Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
  • Dystonia
  • Ependymoma
  • Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
  • Epidural Hematomas
  • Epilepsy
  • Essential Tremor
  • Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
  • Facet Joint Syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
  • Ganglioglioma
  • Glioblastoma
  • Germinoma
  • Glioma
  • Glomus Jugulare Tumor
  • Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
  • Hemangioblastomas
  • Hemi-Facial Spasm
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Hyperhidrosis
  • Intracerebral Hemorrhage
  • Intracranial Hypotension
  • JPA
  • Low-Grade Astrocytoma
  • Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
  • Lymphoma
  • Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Meningioma Brain Tumor
  • Meralgia Paresthetica
  • Metastatic Brain Tumors
  • Moyamoya Disease
  • Myelomeningocele
  • Myelopathy
  • Nelson's Syndrome
  • Neurocysticercosis
  • Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
  • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
  • Oligodendroglioma
  • Optic Nerve Glioma
  • Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
  • Osteoarthritis of the Spine
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
  • Parkinsons Syndrome
  • Pediatric Conditions
  • Pediatric Hydrocephalus
  • Peripheral Nerve Injury
  • Phantom Limb Pain
  • Pineal Tumor
  • Pineoblastoma
  • Pineocytoma
  • Platybasia
  • Postherpetic Neuralgia
  • Post-Traumatic Seizures
  • Primary CNS Lymphoma
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri
  • Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
  • Recurrent Adenomas
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Schwannomas
  • Scoliosis
  • Seizure
  • Skull Fracture
  • Slit Ventricle Syndrome
  • Spasticity
  • Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Spinal Compression Fractures
  • Spine Conditions
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
  • Spinal Cord Tumors
  • Stenosis
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
  • Syringomyelia
  • Tethered Cord Syndrome
  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
  • Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
  • Torticollis
  • Traumatic Hematomas
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia
  • Trochanteric Bursitis
  • Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
  • Acoustic Neuroma
  • Adult Tethered Cord
  • Acromegaly
  • Acute Subdural Hematomas
  • Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA)
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Aqueductal Stenosis
  • Arachnoid Cysts
  • Arnold Chiari Malformation
  • Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Astrocytoma
  • Ballism
  • Basilar Invagination
  • Brachial Plexus Injury
  • Brain Aneurysm
  • Brain Attack (Stroke)
  • Brain AVM
  • Brain Conditions
  • Brain Metastases
  • Brainstem Glioma
  • Carotid Dissection
  • Carotid Stenosis
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Causalgia
  • Cavernous Angioma
  • Cerebral Aneurysms
  • Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
  • Chordomas
  • Chorea
  • Chronic Subdural Hematomas
  • Colloid Cyst
  • Coma
  • Concussion
  • Congenital Dermal Sinus
  • Cranial GunShot Wounds
  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Craniosynostosis
  • Cushing's Disease
  • Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
  • Dandy Walker Syndrome
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • Dermoid Tumor
  • Disc Herniation
  • Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
  • Dystonia
  • Ependymoma
  • Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
  • Epidural Hematomas
  • Epilepsy
  • Essential Tremor
  • Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
  • Facet Joint Syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
  • Ganglioglioma
  • Glioblastoma
  • Germinoma
  • Glioma
  • Glomus Jugulare Tumor
  • Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
  • Hemangioblastomas
  • Hemi-Facial Spasm
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Hyperhidrosis
  • Intracerebral Hemorrhage
  • Intracranial Hypotension
  • JPA
  • Low-Grade Astrocytoma
  • Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
  • Lymphoma
  • Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Meningioma Brain Tumor
  • Meralgia Paresthetica
  • Metastatic Brain Tumors
  • Moyamoya Disease
  • Myelomeningocele
  • Myelopathy
  • Nelson's Syndrome
  • Neurocysticercosis
  • Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
  • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
  • Oligodendroglioma
  • Optic Nerve Glioma
  • Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
  • Osteoarthritis of the Spine
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
  • Parkinsons Syndrome
  • Pediatric Conditions
  • Pediatric Hydrocephalus
  • Peripheral Nerve Injury
  • Phantom Limb Pain
  • Pineal Tumor
  • Pineoblastoma
  • Pineocytoma
  • Platybasia
  • Postherpetic Neuralgia
  • Post-Traumatic Seizures
  • Primary CNS Lymphoma
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri
  • Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
  • Recurrent Adenomas
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Schwannomas
  • Scoliosis
  • Seizure
  • Skull Fracture
  • Slit Ventricle Syndrome
  • Spasticity
  • Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Spinal Compression Fractures
  • Spine Conditions
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
  • Spinal Cord Tumors
  • Stenosis
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
  • Syringomyelia
  • Tethered Cord Syndrome
  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
  • Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
  • Torticollis
  • Traumatic Hematomas
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia
  • Trochanteric Bursitis
  • Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
  1. Home
  2. Conditions Treated
  3. Syringomyelia

Syringomyelia

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About Syringomyelia

General Information

  • Syringomyelia is a condition in which a cyst (pocket of fluid) forms within the spinal cord.
  • This cyst, called a syrinx, can expand over time, damaging the center of the spinal cord. Since the spinal cord connects the brain to nerves in the arms and legs, this damage can result in pain, weakness and stiffness in the back, shoulders, arms or legs.

What causes syringomyelia?

  • Syringomyelia is a frequent finding in patients with Chiari I malformation.
  • Syringomyelia may occur as a complication of spine trauma, meningitis, hemorrhage, a tumor or arachnoiditis. These cases are sometimes termed “primary spinal syringomyelia.”

Symptoms

  • Highly variable presentation with a slowly progressive course, often over years. The characteristic findings include:
    • Sensory loss in a "cape" distribution (over the tops of the shoulders); loss of pain and temperature sensation with preserved touch and position sense.
    • Cervical and occipital pain, extremity pain.
    • Hand and arm weakness and atrophy.
    • Spasticity.
  • In primary spinal syringomyelia, symptoms may appear months or even years after the initial injury, starting with pain, weakness and sensory impairment often originating at the site of trauma.

Diagnosis

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the diagnostic study of choice since it will accurately depict the structure of the spinal cord. In some cases, this should include a contrast injection to look for a spinal cord tumor.
  • Computed Tomography (CT)-myelogram is often very helpful in cases of primary spinal syringomyelia.

Treatment

  • Syringomyelia nearly always requires treatment.
  • In cases associated with Chiari malformation, surgery for the Chiari malformation usually reduces in the size of the syrinx cavity.
  • Primary spinal syringomyelia is difficult to treat, and options include:
    • Laminectomy and duraplasty in order to re-establish free cerebrospinal fluid flow across an area of scarring.
    • Thecoperitoneal shunting, a procedure pioneered by UCLA neurosurgeons.
    • Direct shunting of the syrinx cavity.
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