Abstract
Study design:
The study has been designed as a case report.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to report a rare case of syringomyelia in a patient with syphilitic spinal meningitis.
Setting:
The Neurology Department, University Hospital Mohamed VI Marrakesh, Morocco.
Case report:
A 40-year-old Moroccan male presented with the complaints of weakness of the lower extremities. Neurological examinations confirmed the motor dysfunction of the lower extremities and revealed a sensory loss to the T2–T4 dermatome. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan detected a hypointense signals on the T1 sequences and hyperintense signals on T2 in the cord extending from C7 to T4. The condition was diagnosed as dorsal syringmyelia. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid were positive for Venereal Disease Research Laboratory and Treponema pallidum hemagglutination tests. The patient was treated with intravenous penicillin therapy with a significant improvement in motor deficit. After 2 years, his neurological deficit was limited to a mild weakness of the distal right leg.
Conclusion:
A case of syphilitic spinal meningitis presenting with syringomyelia, and effectively treated with penicillin has been described.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Mudit S, Nicholas C, Faheem AS . Syringomyelia: a review. Seminars in Spine Surgery 2006; 18: 180–184.
Simms I, Fenton KA, Ashton M, Turner KM, Crawley-Boevey EE, Gorton R et al. The re-emergence of syphilis in the United Kingdom: the new epidemic phases. Sex Transm Dis 2005; 32: 220–226.
Conde-Sendín MA, Hernández-Fleta JL, Cárdenes-Santana MA, Amela-Peris R . Neurosyphilis: forms of presentation and clinical management. Rev Neurol 2002; 35: 380–386.
Bulundwe KK, Myburgh CJ, Gledhill RF . Syringomyelia complicating syphilitic spinal meningitis: a case report. Eur J Neurol 2000; 7: 231–236.
Dourmishev LA, Dourmishev AL . Syphilis: uncommon presentations in adults. Clin Dermatol 2005; 23: 555–564.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mebrouk, Y., Chraa, M., McMaughey, C. et al. Syringomyelia associated with syphilitic spinal meningitis: real complication or possible association?. Spinal Cord 49, 757–760 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2010.184
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.2010.184
