Syringomyelia caused by loosening of multistrand cables following C1-2 Brooks-type fusion in the rheumatoid cervical spine. Case report.

The authors report a very rare case of syringomyelia caused by loosening of multistrand cable wires following C1-2 Brooks-type fusion in a 36-year-old woman with a 13-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The syrinx vanished immediately after removal of the cables, and 2 years later no recurrence of symptoms or deterioration has occurred. The authors contend that multistrand titanium cables should not be used to fix a graft-assisted C1-2 construct in patients with RA, although this material is good for fixing rods. The phenomenon observed in this case adds to our understanding of the pathogenesis of noncommunicating syringomyelia.