The authors describe the case of a 29-year-old man with a 6-month history of oedema and rapid destruction of the shoulder joint. The marked clinical and X-ray finding was associated with relatively slight pain of the affected joint. After further examinations, based on a discrete focal loss of the algic and thermal symptoms, syringomyelic arthropathy was suspected which was confirmed by magnetic resonance of the cervical spine. Affections of the upper extremity by neuroarthropathy (which include also syringomyelic arthropathy) are relatively rare, and if it is the first symptom of the disease it may cause diagnostic difficulties.

        Key words: neuroarthropathy, syringomyelia, syringomyelic arthropathy