ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Syringomyelia is defined as the condition of cystic cavitation of the spinal cord extending over a distance more than two spinal segments. The term is derived from the word “syrinx,” an ancient Greek word meaning “tube,” also describing an ancient Greek reed musical organ similar to a flute, in direct reference to the ancient Greek legend of Pan, who was chasing a nymph by a river, when she preferred to turn to a nest of reeds rather than be molested by Pan. The syringomyelia cavity contains fluid with consistency similar to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It was described first in 1892 (1). The advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the last 15 years has contributed greatly to the understanding of syringomyelia, and its wide use has resulted in an apparent increase in the incidence of diagnosis both in adults and in children, but the pathophysiology surrounding the formation of the syrinx and its propagation is still unclear. Syringomyelia can cause major neurological dysfunction in arms and legs and bulbar dysfunction. If untreated or if treatment fails to control its progress, it can lead to paraplegia, quadriplegia, bulbar palsy, and death.
