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By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough it's unclear exactly how and why it happens, when syringomyelia develops, cerebrospinal fluid — the fluid that surrounds, cushions and protects your brain and spinal cord — collects within the spinal cord itself, forming a fluid-filled cyst (syrinx).
The following conditions and diseases can lead to syringomyelia:
- Chiari malformation — a condition in which brain tissue protrudes into your spinal canal
- Meningitis — an inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain and spinal cord
- Tethered spinal cord syndrome — a disorder caused when tissue attached to your spinal cord limits its movement
- A spinal cord tumor
- A spine injury
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