Foramen magnum decompression for the treatment of Arnold Chiari malformation type I with associated syringomyelia in an elderly patient.
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.
Takigami
I
I
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu City, 501-1194, Gifu, Japan.
Miyamoto
K
K
Kodama
H
H
Hosoe
H
H
Tanimoto
S
S
Shimizu
K
K
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*