hydrosyringomyelia

a slowly progressive syndrome in which cavitation occurs in the central (usually cervical) segments of the spinal cord; the lesions may extend up into the medulla oblongata (syringobulbia) or down into the thoracic region. It may be of developmental origin, arise secondary to tumor, trauma, infarction, or hemorrhage, or be without known cause. It results in neurological deficits that generally consist of segmental muscular weakness and atrophy accompanied by a dissociated sensory loss (loss of pain and temperature sensation, with preservation of the sense of touch), and thoracic scoliosis is often present. Called also cystic myelopathy and Morvan's syndrome.