Factors associated with early onset post-traumatic syringomyelia

Study design:Retrospective study.Objectives:To identify factors associated with the development of early onset post-traumatic syringomyelia within 5 years of spinal cord injury.Setting:Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Korea.Methods:We retrospectively examined the records of 502 patients with traumatic cervical or thoracic spinal cord injury who underwent follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations more than once a year for at least 5 years. Patients were assessed in terms of the neurological level of injury, the severity of initial spinal cord injury, the use of surgery and the extent of spinal canal involvement. The latter was evaluated by calculating the shortest antero-posterior diameter of the injured vertebral canal and the spinal reserve capacity as shown on MRI at the time of trauma onset and at the time of diagnosis of syringomyelia.Results:Syringomyelia developed within 5 years in 37 (7.3%) of the 502 patients. The mean age of these 37 patients was 44.6 years (range, 17-67 years) and the mean interval from spinal cord injury to onset of syringomyelia was 38.8 months (range, 2-54 months). The development of post-traumatic syringomyelia within 5 years was not significantly related to the severity or level of injury, the use of spinal surgery or the extent of spinal canal encroachment (P≥0.05 for each comparison).Conclusion:Early onset syringomyelia occurring within 5 years after spinal cord injury was not associated with neurological injury level, severity of injury, the use of spinal surgery or canal encroachment.