Axillary vein thrombosis as a manifestation of rapidly progressive neuropathic arthropathy of the shoulder associated with syringomyelia

Abstract

Neuropathic arthropathy is a destructive joint disease associated frequently with loss of proprioceptions. Syringomyella (with or without Arnold-Chiari malformation) is characterized by slow progression over many years; the joints involved most frequently are the shoulders and elbows. Neuropathic arthropathy of the hand is rare, and clinical features are vasomotor problems, digital ulcers, thickening of the fingers, and painless subluxation of the finger joints. We report an unusual case of neuropathic arthropathy of the shoulder and hands, associated with syringomyella without Arnold-Chiari malformation. Neuropathic arthropathy of the shoulder was rapidly progressive, and axillary vein thrombosis was the first manifestation; however, neuropathic arthropathy of the hands was unrecognized for 7 years, and painless ulceration of the fingers with spontaneous amputation of the terminal phalanx and Raynaud phenomenon were the initial manifestations. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with this constellation of findings. © 2005 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.