Turkish Neurosurgery
Are herniated cerebellar tonsils the main culprit of Chiari malformation Type I symptoms? Brainstem compression hypothesis seems to be re-elucidated and revised
Mehmet SELCUKI1, Mesut METE1, Deniz SELCUKI2
1Celal Bayar University School of Medicine Neurosurgery Department, Neurosurgery, Manisa,
2Celal Bayar University School of Medicine Neurology Department, Neurology, Manisa,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.18349-16.1
Aim:The Chiari Malformation I (CM I) and tethered cord syndrome (TCS) are both congenital abnormalities whose mechanism are still not fully understood. Associaton of CM I and TCS have been reported only for a few times previouslyMaterial and Methods:This retrospective study includes 7 patients who were diagnosed with CM I and TCS managed by cutting of the filum terminale.Results:The mean follow-up period was 21 months and 28 days. Although all patients were undergone untethering surgical procedure by cutting the filum terminale only, all patients reported significant early postsurgical resolution of CM I symptoms and symptoms related to TCS as well.Conclusion:Patients with symptomatic CM I even lumbar MRI is normal and asymptomatic for TCS may have tethered spinal cord at the same time. It seems it would worth to investigate CM I patients for occult TCS with spinal somatosensory evoked potentials.
Corresponding author : Mesut METE