To probe the treatment effects of the syringomyelia using microsurgical technique, a total of 127 patients with syringomyelia confirmed by CT or MRI in our department were analyzed retrospectively. The patients underwent occipitocervical decompression, syringostomy or syringo subarachnoid shunting (S S shunting) with microsurgery. All patients were followed up for more than 1 5 years and the treatment results were evaluated The results indicated that the collapse of the syrinx was achieved in 84 patients who underwent S S shunting or syringostomy. Decreased size of the syrinx was also noted in 43 Arnold Chiari malformation and spinal dysraphism patients who underwent occipitocervical decompression alone. The authors consider that the patients with syringomyelia should be microsurgically treated. The occipitocervical decompression, syringostomy or S S shunting may be an alternative method of surgical treatment for syringomyelia.