Syringomyelias in paediatrics: a retrospective study of 25 cases
*Correspondencia: Dra. Inmaculada Martínez Albaladejo. Servicio de Neuropediatría. Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús. Avda. Menéndez Pelayo, 65. E-28009 Madrid.
E-mail: inmaculadamalbaladejo@gmail.com
Introduction. Syringomyelia is defined as a cavity containing cerebrospinal fluid inside the spinal cord.
Aim. To describe the clinical characteristics of a series of patients with syringomyelia, as well as its diagnosis and treatment.
Patients and methods. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study by reviewing the medical records at our centre.
Results. We reviewed 25 patients diagnosed with syringomyelia. In five cases, the diagnosis was reached casually, and eight of them presented a previous severe pathology (tumour, bone or vascular). Two patients began with hydrocephalus and clinical signs and symptoms of intracranial hypertension and just two of them reported headaches as the only symptom. Four presented progressive scoliosis, two of them as the initial complaint, and required surgery with arthrodesis and the use of a corset, respectively. A notable feature was the earliness of the diagnosis. Most of them only presented a slight loss of strength, with normal somatosensory potentials and electromyogram. Check-ups were carried out with magnetic resonance. Eight patients required a decompressive craniectomy with posterior C1-C2 laminectomy, with drainage of the syringomyelic cavity in four cases. Nine of them required a bypass valve and a ventriculostomy also had to be performed in two of them.
Conclusions. The presence of syringomyelia is rare in paediatric patients, and is generally associated with malformations in the posterior fossa and a medical history of spinal dysrhaphism. Progressive scoliosis stands out as a possible isolated manifestation. A multidisciplinary approach with regular radiological check-ups and evaluation by paediatric neurology and neurosurgery services are mandatory for its follow-up.
Objetivo Describir las características clínicas de una serie de pacientes con siringomielia, su diagnóstico y tratamiento.
Pacientes y métodos Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo realizado mediante la revisión de historias clínicas en nuestro centro.
Resultados Se revisaron 25 pacientes diagnosticados de siringomielia. En cinco el diagnóstico fue casual y ocho presentaban una patología grave previa (tumoral, ósea o vascular). Dos pacientes comenzaron con hidrocefalia y clínica de hipertensión intracraneal y únicamente dos destacaban cefalea como único síntoma. Cuatro presentaron escoliosis progresiva, dos de ellos como queja inicial, y precisaron cirugía con artrodesis y uso de corsé, respectivamente. Destaca la precocidad del diagnóstico. La mayoría presentaba únicamente pérdida de fuerza leve, con potenciales somatosensoriales y electromiograma normales. En todos se hicieron controles con resonancia magnética. Ocho pacientes precisaron craniectomía descompresiva con laminectomía posterior C1-C2, con drenaje de la cavidad siringomiélica en cuatro. Nueve requirieron válvula de derivación y dos precisaron, además, ventriculostomía.
Conclusiones La presencia de siringomielia en pediatría es rara, y se asocia generalmente a malformaciones en la fosa posterior y antecedentes de disrafismo espinal. Destaca la escoliosis progresiva como posible manifestación aislada. Un abordaje multidisciplinar con controles radiológicos seriados y la valoración por servicios de neurología y neurocirugía pediátricos son mandatorios para su seguimiento.
