Arnold Chiari

Arnold Chiari is a congenital central nervous disease, located at the skull base, in an area where the cerebellum and brainstem meet cervical spinal cord. It belongs to the craniocervical junction anomalies.

Diagnosis is achieved through medical history, clinical examination, symptom evaluation and specific image studies.

Some of the imaging studies performed to achieve a diagnosis are the computed tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Depending on clinical evaluation and patient characteristics surgery is offered, in order to stop progression of the disease and alleviate symptoms.

Surgery is aimed at lowering cerebellar and brainstem pressure and to restore normal cerebrospinal fluid flow. Some complications associated with the procedure include, infection, CSF leak, wound healing problems.