Effects of surgery on the syrinx/canal index, axial diameter of the syrinx, degree of foramen stenosis, and length of the syrinx evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and two years
| Baseline MRI | Postoperative MRI | |
|---|---|---|
| Values are mean (SD). | ||
| Surgery had no effect on the length of the syrinx but improved syrinx diameter, the syrinx/canal index (n = 16), and the degree of foramen stenosis (in the 11 patients with Chiari malformation). | ||
| *p<0.01 (Wilcoxon signed rank test). | ||
| Syrinx/canal index (%) | 51 (21) | 22 (13)* |
| Syrinx diameter (cm) | 0.7 (0.3) | 0.1 (0.1)* |
| Foramen stenosis | 1.7 (0.4) | 0.2 (0.4)* |
| Length of the syrinx (cm) | 27 (12) | 25 (6.5) |