Experimental Syringo-Hydromyelia Induced by Adhesive Arachnoiditis in Rabbit Ultrastructural Changes by Cerebro-Spinal Fluid (CSF) Flow Disturbance and Syrinx Formation

INTRODUCTION: Much remains unknown about the pathogenesis of syringo-hydromyelia, although the presence of spinal arachnoiditis has been identified as a precursor to its onset. So far, there are many histological examination of syringomyelia in the literature, however, there has been very little experimental work on blood permeability in the spinal cord vessels and ultrastructural changes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of onset of syringomyelia using an adhesive thoracic arachnoiditis model created by injection of Kaolin into the subarachnoid space. For the purposes of this study, we defined spinal cord cavities as matching either of two histopathological conditions. A cystic dilation of the central canal called hydromyelia and the other parenchymal cavity without ependymal lining called syringomyelia.