Introduction: Syringomyelia is a chronic disease of the spinal cord that leads to damage to nerve fibers in the spinothalamic tract. The changes in these structures responsible for the thermal and painful sensitivity lead to an abnormal innervation of the joints, which can lead to neuropathic arthropathy, called Charcot arthropathy. Syringomyelia is the main cause of Charcot arthropathy in the upper limbs, and the most involving joints are the shoulder and elbow. It is a rare condition and its recognition allows for early diagnosis and proper management. Case report: A 50-year-old female patient, with a previous history of spinal cord trauma, who has been in a wheelchair since then, started with edema in the left upper limb, mainly in the elbow, evolved with local ulcer and presence of serosanguinolent secretion, weakness and paresthesia in the left hand. Magnetic resonance imaging of the elbow showed signs of neuroarthropathy and the study of the thoracic cervical spine showed enlargement of the cerebrospinal fluid space and tapering of the spinal cord. Conclusions: Charcot’s arthropathy should be considered as a differential diagnosis of pain, edema and limitation of joint movements. When present in the upper limbs, an investigation should be carried out to exclude syringomyelia.
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