SYRINGOMYELIA - CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES

Although cavitary lesions of the spinal cord have been recognized for centuries, only recently have effective, noninvasive imaging technique s allowed antemortem diagnosis of this clinical syndrome. Methods of t reatment have not been consistently successful in alleviating or rever sing the clinical symptoms caused by these cystic lesions. Incomplete understanding of the underlying pathologic basis for the syringes has impeded the development of effective methods of treatment. This review documents historical considerations regarding clinical observations a nd experimental studies of this entity and the animal models that have been reported for each of the major types of syringomyelia. Recent st udies have suggested that development of a relevant animal model of po sttraumatic syringomyelia is imminent. Successful development of an ex perimental model will not only permit definition of the pathogenesis o f cyst formation but also provide methods for testing of therapeutic i nterventions.