Establishing the Physiology of Syringomyelia

Completed

Conditions studied: Arnold Chiari Deformity, Hydrocephalus, Syringomyelia

In brief

The brain and spinal cord are surrounded by fluid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF flows through channels in the brain and around the spinal cord. Occasionally, people are born with malformations of these channels. Syringomyelia is a pocket within the CSF channels that results from abnormal CSF flow. Syringomyelia is associated with problems in the nervous system. Patients with syringomyelia may be unable to detect sensations of pain and heat. If the condition is not treated it can worsen. Treatment of this condition is surgical. It requires that the flow of CSF is returns to normal. There are many different treatment options, but no one procedure has been shown to be significantly better than any other. In this study, researchers would like to learn more about how the CSF pressure and flow contribute to the progression of syringomyelia. Ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used to evaluate the anatomy of the brain. Researchers hope that information gathered about anatomy and measures of CSF pressure and flow can be used later to develop an optimal surgical treatment for syringomyelia.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00001327

Run by

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

People needed

120

Starts

1992-07-29

Expected to finish

2011-03-31

Last updated by the study team

2017-07-02

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may not qualify if…

• The subject will not be eligible to participate in this research study if the subject:
• Is pregnant (because X-rays might injure a fetus).
• Cannot have an MRI scan as determined by the radiologist.
• Has a problem with bleeding that cannot be corrected.
• Is unable to understand the risks of the testing and surgical therapy.
• Has a blood test for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) that is positive, because a positive HIV test would increase the risk of infection from research testing.

Where it is running

• National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.