Chiari malformation type I – case report and review of literature

Abstract

Chiari malformations are congenital defects involving the cerebral structures in the posterior fossa. They range from asymptomatic cerebellar tonsil herniation beside the brainstem, to cerebellar aplasia. These conditions were first described in 1890 and are still considered a rare occurrence even though they are more likely under-diagnosed rather than rare. We report the case of a 44-year-old woman with Chiari type I malformation and associated cervical syringomyelia.

Keywords

• type i
• syringomyelia
• syrinx
• arnold-chiari
• headache
• tonsil herniation
• congenital