Chiari I Malformation Associated with Syringomyelia Treated with Foramen Magnum Decompression

ABSTRACT

The authors report two cases of Chiari I malformation associated with syringomyelia. The first is that of a 45-year-old woman with neck and shoulder pain and the other, a 24-year-old man with neck pain. In the former, MRI revealed caudal descent of the cerebellar tonsil to the C2 level and a large eccentric syrinx from the C2-T6 levels ; in the man, MRI showed caudal descent of the cerebellar tonsil to the C2 level and a large eccentric syrinx from the C2-T4 levels. We successfully treated these patients by foramen magnum decompression and duroplasty. Theories of Chiari I malformation associated with syringomyelia, as well as clinical signs and symptoms, and management techniques, are discussed.