title: [Cerebellar amygdalopexy in the management of Chiari I malformation].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of Chiari I malformation associated with syringomyelia is controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We describe a series of patients with this disease treated during a twelve-year period. We also present clinical, surgical and radiological findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty eight patients were included; a non significant female predominance was found. Clinical course was characterized by headache, cerebellar signs and symptoms, neck pain and involvement of lower cranial nerves and pyramidal tract. The degree of tonsillar descent and syringomyelia size varied and a correlation between them was not found. Surgery consisted in an occipital craniectomy, C1 laminectomy and tonsillar elevation through bipolar coagulation and duraplasty.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The best results were observed in pain and cerebellar symptoms, while a deficit of lower cranial nerves and pyramidal tract were observed. However, in most patients we were able to slow symptom progression. No adverse effects were documented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The surgicalprocedureproposed herein is an effective and safe treatment alternative for this malformation, and its results are comparable to other riskier procedures.
authors.affiliation: Servicios de Neurocirugía, Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México, D.F., México. gguinto@prodigy.net.mx
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guinto-Balanzar
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zamorano-Bórquez
authors.forename: Félix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Cortinas
authors.forename: Norma Claudia
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Aréchiga-Ramos
authors.forename: Miguel Adolfo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abdo-Toro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000601:surgery*; D001139:Arnold-Chiari Malformation / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome