Shoulder arthropathy (Charcot joint) and syringomyelia: report of two patients

Neuropathic arthropathy of the shoulder is a relatively rare disorder and is mainly caused by tabes dorsalis and syringomyelia. Sensory deficit has been implicated as its causative factor. It is frequently misdiagnosed because its early symptoms may suggest a mild infection, minor fracture, tendon rupture, or a similar benign problem. The authors describe two patients with this disorder affecting the shoulder that initially presented a diagnostic dilemma. The two patients were initially misdiagnosed until X-Rays revealed destruction of the shoulder joint with marked resorption of the humeral head, and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a syrinx in the central cord associated in one patient with Arnold-Chiari malformation.