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hydromyelia; syringohydromyelia
Etiology:
- almost always associated in infants & children with hydrocephalus or birth defects such as Chiari Malformation II or Dandy-Walker syndrome
Epidemiology:
- infants & children
Pathology:
- abnormal widening of the central canal of the spinal cord (contains CSF)
- the widened cavity is connected to the fourth ventricle in the brain
Clinical manifestations:
- weakness of the hands & arms,
- stiffness in the legs
- sensory loss in the neck & arms
- severe pain in the neck & arms may occur
Radiology:
- magnetic resonance imaging
Management:
- neurosurgery for moderate to severe neurologic deficits
- prognosis: spontaneous remissions have been reported
Related
syringomyelia
General
central nervous system (CNS) malformation
References
- NINDS Hydromyelia Information Page
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hydromyelia/hydromyelia.htm
- Radswiki and Gaillard F
Radiopaedia.og: Hydromyelia
http://radiopaedia.org/articles/hydromyelia