Rare case of syringohydromyelia expansion after kyphotic cervical deformity correction in a patient with history of spinal coccidiomeningitis

Abstract

Syringomyelia resulting from arachnoiditis due to disseminated coccidioidomycosis meningitis has been previously established in the literature. Worsening syringomyelia after kyphotic cervical deformity correction in a patient with spinal coccidioidomycosis, however, has not yet been reported. Herein we present an extremely rare case of disseminated coccidioidomycosis with cystic cervical lesions and an associated syrinx which, after undergoing cervical kyphotic deformity correction in the setting of iatrogenic loss of cervical lordosis, experienced acute syrinx expansion requiring urgent syringosubarachnoid shunt. To our understanding, this is the first case reported of such an event.