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Histological study of the occipital bone from patients with Chiari I malformation

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Abstract

Background

This study is focused on the histologic characteristics of occipital bone removed during Chiari I decompression in the hope of discovering unique features that may be related to the pathogenesis of this condition.

Methods

Ten consecutive pediatric patients with Chiari I malformation underwent standard posterior fossa decompression surgery. Bone that was removed from the posterior fossa was sent for histological examination. Bone from age-matched controls also underwent histological analysis.

Results

For all study and control specimens, bony samples were found to be made up of dense lamellar bone without marrow elements. In all aspects, histologically, the bone tissue had a normal appearance compared to control samples.

Conclusions

Although many authors have mentioned that the occipital bone in patients with Chiari I malformation is abnormal on imaging or at operation (e.g., thinned, thickened), based on our study, there is no histological difference between the occipital bone removed at operation and controls.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Seattle Science Foundation, Seattle, WA, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

  2. Department of Surgery, New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Annie Laurie Benzie

  3. Neurological Surgery, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA

    Elias Rizk

  4. Pediatric Neurosurgery Associates, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, USA

    Joshua J. Chern

  5. Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George’s University, St. George’s, Grenada

    Marios Loukas

  6. Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children’s of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA

    W. Jerry Oakes

  7. 1600 7th Ave S, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

Authors
  1. R. Shane Tubbs
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  2. Annie Laurie Benzie
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  3. Elias Rizk
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  4. Joshua J. Chern
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  5. Marios Loukas
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  6. W. Jerry Oakes
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Correspondence to R. Shane Tubbs.

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Tubbs, R.S., Benzie, A.L., Rizk, E. et al. Histological study of the occipital bone from patients with Chiari I malformation. Childs Nerv Syst 32, 351–353 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2907-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2907-z

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