title: Foramen magnum decompression for the treatment of Arnold Chiari malformation type I with associated syringomyelia in an elderly patient.
abstract: METHODS
  Report of a rare case of an elderly patient with late onset of Arnold Chiari malformation type I with associated syringomyelia that was successfully treated with foramen magnum decompression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report this rare case along with a literature review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gifu, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 69-year-old woman with a 4-year history of dull pain in her right arm was referred to the clinic. After physical and radiographical examinations, she was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari malformation type I with associated syringomyelia. A foramen magnum decompression by the removal of the outer layer of the dura mater was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 2 years postoperatively, MRI revealed a decrease in the size of the syringomyelia. Her symptoms had also remarkably improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A rare case of symptomatic Arnold Chiari malformation type I with associated syringomyelia in an elderly woman was successfully treated with foramen magnum decompression by the removal of the outer layer of the dura mater.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu City, 501-1194, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Takigami
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hosoe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001139:Arnold-Chiari Malformation / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005539:Foramen Magnum / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*