As medical technology advances and certain types of testing become more commonplace, certain conditions that were once thought to be quite rare may be detected more frequently. This is the case for Chiari malformations. Although you may have never heard this term, the neurosurgeons here at Georgia Brain & Spine Center believe strongly in educating our readers about these potential health concerns and the effects they can have. That’s why we have taken some time to answer a few simple questions about Chiari malformations.

Question #1: What causes a Chiari malformation to occur?

A Chiari malformation may occur when part of the skull is abnormally small or misshapen, putting pressure on the brain and forcing it downward. This causes brain tissue in the lower portion of the skull to extend into the spinal canal. The additional pressure put on the brain stem and spinal cord can block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to the spine.

Question #2: What are the symptoms associated with a Chiari malformation?

In many cases, a Chiari malformation will not cause any symptoms. This is why despite being congenital, they are often not detected until later in life. However this is not always the case. For some people, a Chiari malformation can lead to several symptoms including severe headaches, weakness or numbness in the extremities, scoliosis, problems balancing, difficulty swallowing, ringing in the ears, dizziness, blurred vision, and snoring.

Question #3: How are Chiari malformations diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosing a Chiari malformation begins by performing a comprehensive neurological exam including imaging studies like an MRI of the brain and spine. Some cases may require a specialized study called a CINE MRI that allows us to look at the cerebrospinal fluid flow at the region of the compression in order to make a diagnosis. Once a diagnosis has been made, we will consider all treatment options based on the severity of the symptoms. For patients with no or only mild symptoms we may recommend close observation including neurological check-ups and MRI scans. For those with a more serious condition, we can perform a highly effective brain surgery known as posterior fossa decompression that is designed to relieve pressure on your brain.

We hope you found this information informative. Although Chiari malformations may seem complicated, our board-certified neurosurgeons have considerable experience treating them and helping patients find relief from their symptoms. For more information, or if you would like a second opinion on an initial diagnosis, please contact Georgia Brain & Spine Center at 1 (800) GO-SPINE to schedule a consultation today. And follow along with us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, updates, and much more.

Although this is not always the case, head injuries like concussions can be extremely serious and frightening. Head trauma from playing sports, taking a serious fall, or experiencing an automobile accident can potentially lead to the rupturing of a blood vessel in the brain and result in brain bleeding. This collection of blood within the skull is known as an intracranial hematoma. In some cases, a hematoma may develop and progressively get worse over the course of weeks. In other cases, the hematoma can expand rapidly and present an emergent, life-threatening condition. Our board-certified neurosurgeons wanted to focus on two different kinds of intracranial hematomas, epidural and subdural, to help our readers better understand these conditions.
 
Our brains are covered by 3 layers of membrane (known medically as meninges), which effectively provide coating to the brain. Closest to the brain lies the pia mater. Beyond that lies the arachnoid mater. Lastly there is the dura mater which is a big fibrous material that covers the brain and tightly adheres to the skull. Both epidural and subdural hematomas involve bleeding outside of the brain and either outside or inside of the dura mater.
 
An epidural hematoma occurs when there is bleeding inside the skull but outside the dura membrane. Patients with an epidural hematoma can remain conscious with minimal symptoms, can become drowsy, or can progress to a coma immediately following their injury based on the size of the hematoma. A subdural hematoma occurs when the bleeding exists inside the dura, but still outside the brain. Subdural hematomas can either be acute, occurring and being detected soon after the trauma, subacute (symptoms develop in the days/weeks following injury), or chronic (symptoms occurring weeks to months after the time of injury).

In any case, the bleeding caused by an intracranial hematoma can form a mass that presses on the brain tissue and leads to a wide variety of potentially dangerous symptoms. These symptoms may include headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting, physical weakness, difficulty with speech, changes in vision, and more.

Hematomas are diagnosed with either a CT scan or MRI of the brain. In the case a hematoma is detected, it is imperative to obtain an urgent evaluation with a neurosurgeon immediately to prevent worsening symptoms or even death. In some cases, a small epidural or subdural hematoma may resolve itself naturally over time. However, many patients require brain surgery to remove the hematoma.


The neurosurgeons here at Georgia Brain & Spine Center have considerable experience diagnosing, treating, and caring for patients who experience an intracranial hematoma or any other serious brain condition. If you would like more information on the brain conditions that we treat, or if you would like a second opinion on a previous diagnosis, please contact Georgia Brain & Spine at 1 (800) GO-SPINE to schedule a consultation today with Dr. Elias Dagnew or Dr. Michael Hartman. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news, practice updates, blog posts, and more.