Table 2.
Results of surgical and conservative treatment in posttraumatic syringomyelia
| Detailed results of treatment | Surgery (N = 1605) | Conservative (N = 198) |
|---|---|---|
| MRI improved | 123/164 (75%) | n.a. |
| Improved | 510/1175 (43%) | 4 (2%) |
| Stable | 585/1078 (50%) | 174 (88%) |
| Deteriorated | 108/659 (16%) | 20 (10%) |
| Dead | 8/1021 (0.8%) | n.a. |
| Complications | 403/1561 (26%) | n.a. |
| Drain or valve dysfunction | 207/973 (21%) | |
| CSF leak | 46/1561 (2.9%) | |
| Transient neurological deficit | 44/1561 (2.8%) | |
| Permanent neurological deficit | 39/1561 (2.5%) | |
| Wound complication | 32/1561 (2.0%) | |
| Other | ||
| Venous thromboembolic events | 7 | |
| Meningitis | 6 | |
| Pneumencephalus | 3 | |
| Subdural hematoma | 2 | |
| Air embolism | 2 | |
| Cerebellar tonsillar descent | 1 | |
| Cardiac arrest | 1 | |
It is important to note that the comparison of surgical and conservative treatment lacks a baseline, which carries the risk of selection bias per chosen treatment
MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid