Chiari malformation

Diagnosis

Your doctor will examine you physically, go over your symptoms and medical history, and make a diagnosis.

To diagnose your ailment and ascertain its cause, your doctor will also request imaging studies. Testing might involve:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Chiari malformation is frequently diagnosed via an MRI. An MRI produces a thorough image of the body using strong radio waves and magnets.

This procedure generates fine-grained 3D scans of structural variations in the brain that might be causing symptoms. Additionally, it can show images of the cerebellum and show whether or not it protrudes into the spinal canal.

An MRI can be performed repeatedly throughout time in order to track the disorder’s development.

• Computerized Tomography (CT) scan. Your physician could suggest more imaging exams, such a CT scan.

In a CT scan, cross-sectional pictures of the body are obtained using X-rays. This can assist in identifying disorders such as brain tumors, brain damage, bone and blood vessel issues, and others.

Treatment

The degree and characteristics of your problem will determine how to treat your Chiari malformation.

If you don’t have any symptoms, your doctor won’t likely prescribe anything other than monitoring through routine checkups and MRIs.

Your doctor could advise pain medication if headaches or other forms of discomfort are the main symptom.

Reducing pressure with surgery

Doctors commonly employ surgery as a treatment for symptomatic Chiari malformation. The primary goal of surgery is to alleviate or stabilize the associated symptoms and halt the progression of structural changes in the brain and spinal canal.

Successful surgery can relieve the pressure on the cerebellum and spinal cord while restoring the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid. The most commonly performed surgical procedure for Chiari malformation is posterior fossa decompression. This procedure involves the surgical removal of a small section of bone from the back of the skull, which provides additional space for the brain, thus relieving the pressure caused by the malformation.

The dura mater, the brain’s protective covering, may frequently be opened. Additionally, a patch might be sewed in to make the covering bigger and provide the brain more space. This patch could be made of synthetic material or from tissue removed from another area of the body.

To relieve strain on the spinal cord and give it more room, your doctor might possibly remove a small part of the spinal column.

Depending on whether a fluid-filled cavity (syrinx) or fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus) is present, the surgical method may change. A tube (shunt) may be required if you have hydrocephalus or a syrinx to drain the extra fluid.

Surgical risks and follow-up

Risks associated with surgery include the potential for infection, fluid in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, or issues with wound healing. When choosing the best course of therapy for you, weigh the benefits and risks with your doctor.

In the majority of patients, the surgery lessens symptoms, but it does not repair spinal canal nerve damage if it has already happened.

You will require routine follow-up visits with your doctor following the procedure, including frequent imaging tests to evaluate the success of the procedure and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.