Syringomyelia Coexisting With Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
10.5535/arm.2013.37.5.745
- Author:
Hee Sang KIM
1
;
Dong Hwan YUN
;
Jinmann CHON
;
Jong Eon LEE
;
Min Ho PARK
;
Yoo Jin HAN
Author Information
1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. tyche1001@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Guillain-Barre syndrome;
Syringomyelia;
Posttraumatic syringomyelia
- MeSH:
Aged;
Autoantibodies;
Autoimmune Diseases;
Brachial Plexus;
Brain Stem;
Chronic Disease;
Dissociative Disorders;
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory;
Extremities;
Follow-Up Studies;
Guillain-Barre Syndrome*;
Humans;
Hypesthesia;
Knee;
Lower Extremity;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging;
Muscle Spasticity;
Muscle Weakness;
Myelin Sheath;
Neural Conduction;
Neurologic Examination;
Peripheral Nerves;
Polyneuropathies;
Reflex;
Reflex, Stretch;
Spinal Cord;
Syringomyelia*;
Upper Extremity
- From:Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
2013;37(5):745-749
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and syringomyelia are diseases of different entities. GBS is an acute post-infectious autoimmune disease which is mediated by autoantibodies against the myelin of peripheral nerves. Syringomyelia is a chronic disease characterized by a cavity extending longitudinally inside the spinal cord. A 67-year-old man is being hospitalized due to severe numbness and ascending weakness in all limbs. On neurological examination, the motor power of all limbs are decreased and show absence of deep tendon reflexes (DTRs). The patient is being diagnosed with GBS on the basis of the acute clinical course, nerve conduction studies of segmental demyelinating polyneuropathy, and a finding of albuminocytologic dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid. The patient is presented with a new set of symptoms thereafter, which composes of sensory changes in the upper extremities, the urinary dysfunction including frequency and residual urine, spastic bilateral lower extremities, and increased reflexes of the knee and the biceps at follow-up examinations. The spinal magnetic resonance imaging in the sagittal section revealed a syrinx cavity between the fifth cervical and the first thoracic vertebral segment in the cord. The somatosensory evoked potential show sensory pathway defects between both the brachial plexus and the brain stem. Thus, this patient is being diagnosed with both GBS and syringomyelia. We report a case of symptomatic syringomyelia coexisting with GBS. Since the GBS is presented with a progressive muscle weakness and reduced DTRs, the muscle weakness and stiffness in the extremities suggests a concurrent syringomyelia might be easily overlooked.
