Current management of pediatric chiari type 1 malformations.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric Chiari Type 1 Malformations (CM1) are commonly referred for neurosurgical opinion. The ideal management in children regarding surgical and radiographic decision making is not clearly delineated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our cohort of patients age 18 years and younger referred to a single neurosurgeon for CM1. Baseline MRIs of the spine were obtained. Non-operative patients had repeat imaging at 6-12 months. Patients who underwent an operation (decompression with/without duraplasty) had repeat imaging at 6 months.

RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two patients with mean age of 10 years met inclusion criteria. All patients had post-operative symptomatic improvement. We identified 26 patients with syrinx, 8 with scoliosis, 3 with hydrocephalus, and one had tethered cord. The average tonsillar descent was 8.1 mm in the non-operative group and 11.9 mm in the operative group. Ninety-five patients were managed conservatively (72%). Thirty-seven were offered surgery (28%), and 33 patients underwent intervention; 21 with duraplasty (64%) and 12 without (36%).

CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients with CM1 require both clinical and radiographic follow-up. Duraplasty may be performed if decompression fails to relieve symptomatology, but is not always needed. CM1 continues to present a challenge in surgical decision making. Adhering to a treatment paradigm may help alleviate difficult decision-making.