DYNAMICS OF MYELOPATHIC SYMPTOMS OF SYRINGOMYELIA ASSOCIATED WITH CHIARI MALFORMATION 1 IN PATIENTS WITH POSTOPERATIVE COLLAPSE OF THE CAVITY

Abstract

Syringomyelia is a chronic myelopathy with the formation of cavities in the spinal cord. The most common cause of syringomyelia is the obstruction of the cerebrospinal fl uid tract at the craniovertebral junction level in patients with Chiari malformation. The main method of treatment of syringomyelia is surgical, aimed at stopping the progression of the disease. To date, controversial data on the postoperative regression of myelopathic symptoms and factors contributing to a positive clinical outcome are presented in the world literature Goal of the study: to assess the dynamics of myelopathic symptoms of syringomyelia at the postoperative stage.Material and methods. 44 patients with syringomyelia associated with Chiari 1 malformation, who underwent decompression of the posterior cranial fossa and had positive postoperative radiological dynamics of the syringomyelitis cavity were included to our retrospective study. Patients were evaluated by clinical and MRI parameters at the preoperative and distant postoperative stages.Results. Analysis of clinical and MRI indicators at the preoperative and remote postoperative stages allowed us to determine the frequency of regression of myelopathic symptoms and to identify it’s main dynamics predictors.