Chiare Malformation

Chiare Malformation (pronounced kee-are-ee) is when the cerebellum is deformed causing it to herniate through the foramen magnum into the spinal canal. This can cause a disruption in the flow of CSF to the brain which may lead to a syrinx in the spinal cord. There are three types of Chiari Malformation. Type I, usually found incidentally, is the most common and usually has no symptoms. Type II, also known as Arnold-Chiari Malformation, is usually accompanied with a form of spina bifida. This type can cause paralysis. Type III is the most severe and causes neurological defects. Symptoms caused by Chiari Malformation are dizziness, muscle weakness, problems with vision, numbness, fatigue, balancing and coordination problems, neck pain and severe headaches. Treatment for this disease is limited to surgery to stop the progression of the disorder. Pain medication is given to ease the symptoms. Diagnosis of the disease can only be achieved with a MRI of the head. With the availability of MRI the number of cases of this disease has risen in the past few years. It is estimated that there are between 200,000 and 2 million Americans with the disease. Women are 3 times more susceptible than men and is considered a congenital disease. Patients usually do not begin to show symptoms until late childhood, early adulthood.

References:

http://depts.washington.edu/.../images/chiari_mri.jpg
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chiari/chiari.htm
http://www.pressenter.com/

http://www.northshorelij.com/body.cfm?ID=6409