“A Chiari malformation results when a patient has too little room for their cerebellum in the back part of the skull. The cerebellar tonsils get forced down into the spinal canal. The result can be a syrinx or fluid filled cavity within the spinal cord that can cause pain, weakness and numbness. The Chiari malformation with or without a syrinx can also cause also headaches and other symptoms. Surgical treatment is most important when a syrinx is present to prevent progression of the neurologic symptoms.
These MRI scans show a patient before and after the Chiari decompression surgery that I performed. The surgery involves removing a portion of the back of the skull and the ring of C1 to relieve the pressure on the cerebellar tonsils and spinal cord. The bottom MRI was taken five years later and shows resolution of the syrinx. ”
– Dr. Michael
