Syringomyelia

This condition is the name for the presence of a cyst that has formed in the patients spinal cord, the cyst is called a syrinx.  Over time the syrinx can grow and expand through the spinal cord.  It can cause pain and discomfort in the back, shoulders, arms and legs.  As well as headaches and weakness in the limbs.  The size of the syrinx can be irrelevant to the pain that the patient may feel, both small and large syrinxs can cause equal amounts of pain for the patient.  Syringomyelia is one of the more common associated disorders that patients with chiari may experience.  Surgery may be required for this condition but it may take a while for any neurosurgeon to decide on the surgery as they will have to establish the cause of the syrinx.  The most common type of surgery is a decompression surgery the same as the chiari surgery.

 

Tethered cord

Tethered cord is a progressive disorder that is a stretching of the spinal cord.  It is caused when the base of the spine is not formed correctly during pregnancy.  Surgery is normally need to help relieve the pain and discomfort caused by this condition.  When a patient is diagnosed with chiari your neurosurgeon may send you for more tests to establish whether you have tethered cord.

 

Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is a condition where the fluid produced around the brain is not drained correctly down the spinal column.  The fluid that is produced can either fail to drain correctly or too much fluid can be produced.  Hydrocephalus can occur with spina bifida at birth or can occur on its own at birth, chiari may occur along side the hydrocephalus, in which case the hydrocephalus would need to be treated prior to the chiari being treated.  Hydrocephalus can also occur following decompression surgery.  Treatment for hydrcephalus is most commonly to fit the patient with a shunt to drain the fluid away from the brain and absorb it into the stomach.  The placement of the shunt is likely to be permanent and may come with its own complications and lifestyle adjustments, (please visit ASBAH for advice on this condition).