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Spontaneous resolution of isolated Chiari I malformation

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Abstract

Introduction

Spontaneous resolution of Chiari I abnormality is very rare. In most patients, the radiological abnormality either stays unchanged with time or deriorates.

Case report

We present a male patient who was diagnosed at the age of 18 months as having radiological evidence of Chiari I malformation without syringomyelia, which had resolved 5 years later on a subsequent MR scan. At the time of initial diagnosis, he had been experiencing recurrent jerking movements of his body and was a sufferer of chronic renal failure.

Discussion

The symptoms were thought to be unrelated to the hindbrain hernia. Such spontaneous resolution of an isolated Chiari I malformation has only been described once more before, although resolution of hindbrain hernia associated with syringomyelia has been described before in several cases, albeit at single figures. The mechanism for such a natural evolution is not clear.

Conclusion

This patient demonstrates that surgical treatment should not be considered hastily in patients with radiological evidence of Chiari I in the absence of convincing associated clinical symptoms.

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Acknowledgements

The material of this paper has been presented as a poster at the XVIII Congress of the European Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, Kiruna, Lappland, 14–18 June 2002.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham, B4 6NH, UK

    N. S. Jatavallabhula & S. Sgouros

  2. Department of Neurology, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Birmingham, UK

    J. Armstrong & W. Whitehouse

Authors
  1. N. S. Jatavallabhula
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  2. J. Armstrong
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  3. S. Sgouros
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  4. W. Whitehouse
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Sgouros.

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Jatavallabhula, N.S., Armstrong, J., Sgouros, S. et al. Spontaneous resolution of isolated Chiari I malformation. Childs Nerv Syst 22, 201–203 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-005-1213-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-005-1213-6

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