While FMD is, to date, the primary treatment of symptomatic CM I, the treatment of Chiari malformation type I (CM I) associated syrinx remains controversial. In cases of persistent, progressive, or recurrent syrinx following FMD, direct syrinx drainage (DSD) is described as a safe and efficient option, leading to a good clinical and radiological outcome. However, studies at hand mostly include very heterogeneous patient populations, small cohorts, and are of retrospective nature. We provide an overview of the possible indications and outcome for DSD in CM I-associated syrinx. We discuss the different surgical techniques of DSD and review the available literature comparing different DSD techniques. Finally, we discuss the possible complications that might occur after DSD and how they can be prevented.
Keywords: Chiari malformation; Spinal cord; Syringomyelia; Syringosubarachnoid shunt; Syrinx; Syrinx shunt.