Teaching NeuroImage: Olfactory Stem Cell Injection Inducing Actively Secreting Respiratory Epithelium in a Cervical Syrinx.

A 46-year-old man experienced a complete C6 spinal cord injury with minimal recovery. Two years later, he underwent olfactory stem cell injection into the cervical posttraumatic syrinx but developed progressive weakness. A C5 syringo-subarachnoid shunt was placed, but his strength declined further, so he underwent syrinx evacuation. On dural opening, white gelatinous material exuded under pressure (Figure 1). Pockets of similar material were evacuated. Pathology identified respiratory epithelium and seromucinous glands within fibrous stroma (Figure 2). Within 4 months, he regained deltoid and bicep function.