Establishing the Physiology of Syringomyelia

NCT00001327 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 92022692-N-0226
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 120
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The brain and spinal cord are surrounded by fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF flows through channels in the brain and around the spinal cord. Occasionally, people are born with malformations of these channels. Syringomyelia is a pocket within the CSF channels that results from abnormal CSF flow. Syringomyelia is associated with problems in the nervous system. Patients with syringomyelia may be unable to detect sensations of pain and heat. If the condition is not treated it can worsen. Treatment of this condition is surgical. It requires that the flow of CSF is returns to normal. There are many different treatment options, but no one procedure has been shown to be significantly better than any other. In this study, researchers would like to learn more about how the CSF pressure and flow contribute to the progression of syringomyelia. Ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used to evaluate the anatomy of the brain. Researchers hope that information gathered about anatomy and measures of CSF pressure and flow can be used later to develop an optimal surgical treatment for syringomyelia.

Conditions

Arnold Chiari Deformity; Hydrocephalus; Syringomyelia

Keywords

Syringomyelia; Chiari Malformation; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Intraoperative Ultrasonography; Hydrocephalus; Spinal Cord; Ventriculostomy; Lumbar Puncture; Pressure Measurement

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• To be eligible to participate in this research study, the subject must:
• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Have syringomyelia.
• Be able to give informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• The subject will not be eligible to participate in this research study if the subject:
• Is pregnant (because X-rays might injure a fetus).
• Cannot have an MRI scan as determined by the radiologist.
• Has a problem with bleeding that cannot be corrected.
• Is unable to understand the risks of the testing and surgical therapy.
• Has a blood test for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) that is positive, because a positive HIV test would increase the risk of infection from research testing.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Logue V, Edwards MR. Syringomyelia and its surgical treatment--an analysis of 75 patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 Apr;44(4):273-84. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.4.273.

  PMID: 7241155 BACKGROUND

• Oldfield EH, Muraszko K, Shawker TH, Patronas NJ. Pathophysiology of syringomyelia associated with Chiari I malformation of the cerebellar tonsils. Implications for diagnosis and treatment. J Neurosurg. 1994 Jan;80(1):3-15. doi: 10.3171/jns.1994.80.1.0003.

  PMID: 8271018 BACKGROUND

• Levy LM, Di Chiro G. MR phase imaging and cerebrospinal fluid flow in the head and spine. Neuroradiology. 1990;32(5):399-406. doi: 10.1007/BF00588473.

  PMID: 2259434 BACKGROUND

• Heiss JD, Suffredini G, Bakhtian KD, Sarntinoranont M, Oldfield EH. Normalization of hindbrain morphology after decompression of Chiari malformation Type I. J Neurosurg. 2012 Nov;117(5):942-6. doi: 10.3171/2012.8.JNS111476. Epub 2012 Sep 14.

  PMID: 22978540 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Arnold-Chiari Malformation; Hydrocephalus; Syringomyelia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neural Tube Defects; Nervous System Malformations; Nervous System Diseases; Congenital Abnormalities; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Spinal Cord Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Sponsor Type: NIH

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 3, 1999
• First Posted: November 4, 1999
• Study Start: July 29, 1992
• Study Completion: March 31, 2011
• Last Updated: July 2, 2017

Record last verified: 2011-03-31

Locations

US (1)