Funding News - Patients with Syringomyelia Sought for Study

Investigators at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) seek patients with syringomyelia for a study of the cause of the disorder, which may be due to a blockage of spinal fluid or from a spinal cord tumor.

This study will take place at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD. Patients will undergo testing both before and after receiving surgical treatment for this condition. The testing and surgical treatment will be provided at the NIH, and all treatment-related expenses will be paid by the NIH. This study is conducted under safety and testing standards of the Department of Health and Human Services.

To be eligible, patients must be 18 to 70 years old and must have a syrinx (fluid-filled cavity in the spinal cord). Patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffering from bleeding disorders will not be accepted.

For more information, physicians should contact Dr. Edward H. Oldfield, Chief, Surgical Neurology Branch, NINDS, NIH, Building 10, Room 5D37, 10 Center Drive MSC 1414, Bethesda, MD 20892-1414; telephone: 301-496-5728. Refer to study number 01-N-0085.