Surgical treatment of a patient with posttraumatic syringomyelia associated with complex posttraumatic deformity of the spine

Abstract

A clinical case of surgical treatment of a female patient with posttraumatic syringomyelia which led to tetraparesis and dissociated sensory loss in the trunk and upper and lower limbs is presented. Clinical manifestations of these spinal cord changes occurred 21 years after complicated fracture of the L1 vertebra associated with complex posttraumatic spinal deformity. Multistage surgical intervention made it possible to restore liquorodynamics, perform the necessary correction of severe kyphotic deformity of the spine, and reduce the risk of torso imbalance. As a result, the syrinx practically disappeared at all levels of the study.