Chiari malformation type III: Case report and review of the literature

Chiari III malformation in a neonate

Chiari malformation (CM) is a group of complex deformities of the posterior fossa and hindbrain, of which CMIII is the rarest. We report a term neonate, with an antenatal diagnosis of occipital encephalocele, who underwent resection of the encephalocele and ligation of vessels, with repair of a large scalp defect and dural reconstruction on day 4 of life. The parents of the child had been counselled for a guarded and poor prognosis on initial diagnosis. The child has had a good postoperative course without complications but suffers from cortical visual impairment and global developmental delay.

Surgical outcomes of calvaria reconstruction in cranial pansynostosis associated with Arnold-Chiari type 1.5 malformation, a case report

A 6-year-old girl with persistent headaches and the visual problem was diagnosed as a delayed onset cranial pansynostosis with concurrent type 1.5 Arnold-Chiari malformation. She underwent multi-sutural reconstructive surgery and followed. The headache was greatly decreased and tonsillar-brain stem herniation and syrinx were resolved.

Chiari III Malformation on Prenatal and Postnatal Imaging Complicated by Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Anti-diuretic Hormone (SIADH) and Serratia marcescens Meningitis

Among various types of Chiari malformations (CMs), CM III is the most infrequently encountered. In this article, we present a case of CM III with occipital cephalocele appreciated on both prenatal imaging and postnatal follow-up MRI. This case illustrates not only the evolution of this malformation from the in-utero images of fetal MRI to the newborn MRI but also highlights the complications that may accompany this diagnosis such as hydrocephalus and infection. The patient also developed syndrome of inappropriate secretion of anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH). The most current thoughts on the pathophysiology of this entity are also reviewed along with an approach to the differential diagnosis and treatment.

Outcomes of Chiari Malformation III: A Review of Literature

Purpose

Chiari malformation type III (CM III) is the rarest type compared to other types of CMs. CM III usually reported as sporadic case reports which reflect the rarity of this anomaly. We report two cases of operated CM III at our institute with a reasonable outcome and reviewed the literature to illustrate the variability of prognosis and related hydrocephalus.

Materials and Methods

We operated two cases of CM III in our hospital followed by ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement with an accepted neurological outcome at 10 and 6 months follow-up. We reviewed the literature for other cases of CM III with focusing on prognosis to illustrate the real image of reported prognosis and related hydrocephalus.

Results

After follow-up for 10 and 6 months, respectively, both cases had mild developmental delays. In this review, we report 51 cases of CM III over the last 30 years since 1989, there was slight male predilection, hydrocephalus was evident in 27 cases which was almost managed with VPSs and was evident in seven deaths.

Conclusion

CM III is a rare anomaly which usually carries a bad prognosis, but death is not ultimate, and there may be a minority who carry good prognosis. This bad prognosis pushes some parents to refuse surgery otherwise repair should be done. With good pre- and postoperative care, physical therapy, and follow-up, the outcome is reasonable.