Therapy
The focus is on the elimination of a still existing and treatable cause of syringomyelia. To remove the pressure of the syringing on the nerve tissue, surgery is necessary when the neurological impairment is correspondingly severe or progresses. For example, an attempt is made to drain the fluid from the syringes by using a shunt (tube) to channel the fluid to another part of the body.
However, due to the risk of damage to the nerve tissue immediately surrounding the syringes, this surgical technique is no longer favored. The surgical attempt to loosen adhesions and obstacles to passage that have caused syringomyelia is more popular nowadays, but also involves the risk that the surgical trauma will result in new adhesions. Ultimately, pain therapy against the nerve pain caused by syringomyelia is often necessary, as well as physiotherapy to maintain and train movement and everyday skills.
Alternative therapeutic approaches are also helpful, especially in alleviating pain. The surgery of syringomyelia is the only so-called curative therapy. This means that it is the only possibility to really cure the outflow disturbance of the nerve water and not only to fight the symptoms.
Due to the limitations caused by the operation, nowadays it is usually only performed when the symptoms deteriorate rapidly. During the operation a shunt is inserted microsurgically. The purpose of the shunt is to drain part of the nerve water (cerebrospinal fluid) from the brain to prevent an increase in intracranial pressure.
For this purpose, a connection is surgically created between the spaces in the brain (ventricle) filled with liquor and, for example, the abdominal cavity. This allows the excess nerve fluid to drain off and is excreted normally with the stool. However, this operation is quite extensive and is usually more likely to be performed for other diseases, such as hydrocephalus (so-called “hydrocephalus”).
Furthermore, surveys have shown that many patients are more satisfied without surgery than patients who have undergone surgery. Since this operation is performed on the patient’s brain, it involves many risks. Therefore, it should be considered very carefully whether it is really necessary that it be performed.
A very dreaded complication is, for example, an infection of the shunt, as this can serve as a kind of “road” to the brain. Thus, in case of an infection, it can quickly spread to the brain and cause severe symptoms. Furthermore, the drainage of the shunt can also lead to a too low or too high outflow of the nerve fluid.
