An Atypical Clinical Presentation of Post-traumatic Syringomyelia: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature

Abstract

Syringomyelia classically presents as a bilateral sensory loss of the dissociated type which includes the loss of pain and temperature with the preservation of fine touch, vibratory sensation, and proprioception in the shoulder, arm, and hand. Eventually, weakness of the legs, muscle wasting, and ataxia can also be seen due to the involvement of the corticospinal tracts and the posterior columns of the spinal cord. We present the case of a 64-year-old patient with an atypical presentation of post-traumatic syringomyelia. This atypical presentation included a unilateral sensory loss of fine touch, pain, and temperature in the shoulder, arm, and hand which was of the non-dissociated type with no weakness, muscular atrophy, loss of vibratory sensation, or proprioception.