Syringomyelia

Historical aspects.- Epidemiology.- Anatomy and Physiology.- Developmental Anatomy.- Genetics of Chiari malformation and syringomyelia.- The Filling Mechanism.- Mathematical modelling.- Clinical presentation.- Diagnostic Investigations.- Hindbrain Related Syringomyelia.- Post-traumatic and post-inflammatory syringomyelia.- Idiopathic syringomyelia.- Paediatric perspectives.- Veterinary Aspects.- Pregnancy.- Pain management.- The Biochemistry of Syringomyelia.- Patient perspectives.- Medico-legal aspects.- Nomenclature.- History of the imaging of syringomyelia.- Syrinx in Art.- Historical vignettes.- Useful contacts.

Graham Flint is a consultant neurosurgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, in the UK. In addition to running a busy general neurosurgical practice he has, for the past 15 years, run the specialist syringomyelia clinic there, which was established by the late Bernard Williams. He has accumulated extensive clinical experience in the management of syringomyelia and its related disorders in the adult population. Dr. Flint works closely with patient support groups and, in co-operation with the Ann Conroy Trust, established a network of syringomyelia specialists in the UK. With this group he organised the international symposium Syringomyelia 2007, held in Rugby, UK.  This was the predecessor of Syringomyelia 2010, held in Berlin. In addition to studying the outcome of surgical treatments for syringomyelia, he has a particular interest in the disturbances of CSF physiology that underlie the disorder. He has applied well-established physiological methods, used to measure disturbances of CSF circulation in general, to the study of syringomyelia in humans.

Clare Rusbridge is a veterinary neurologist who established the neurology/neurosurgery service at Stone Lion Veterinary Hospital in 1997. She qualified as a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery in 1991 and became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology in 1996, a European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology in 1998 and an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Neurology in 1999. Her PhD related to Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia in the Cavalier King Charles spaniel. From 2002 to 2006, Dr. Rusbridge was Chair of the Education Committee of the European College of Veterinary Neurology. She is an Honorary Friend of the Ann Conroy Trust and a member of the British Syringomyelia Group. Dr. Rusbridge is a frequently invited international lecturer in the veterinary and human medicine fields. She has authored or co-authored many journal articles and book chapters and acts as a