Chiari malformation decompression, three-month follow-up. Interval postsurgical changes of Chiari decompression are seen including suboccipital craniectomy and resection involving the posterior aspect of C1 which was partially fused to the occipital bone. Cauterization of the right cerebellar tonsil is also noted. There has been mild interval increase in CSF spaces at the foramen magnum dorsally and to a lesser degree ventrally. CSF flow sequence is technically suboptimal but demonstrates improvement in biphasic flow posteriorly in the interval.There has been decrease in size of the cervical syrinx, for example at the upper C4 level, syrinx measures 1.3 x 1.9 mm in the axial plane, previously 2.5 x 3.1 mm. Craniocaudal extent from C2 to C4 is also slightly decreased.Partial atlantooccipital assimilation and mild widening of the atlantodental interval are again noted. Vertebral body heights are maintained. There is loss of cervical lordosis. Multilevel degenerative changes are again seen including small disc osteophyte complexes at the C3-C4, C5-C6, and C6-C7 levels. There is up to mild spinal canal stenosis and mild to moderate bilateral neural foraminal stenosis at the C5-C6 level. Mild to moderate left and mild right neural foraminal stenosis is also present at the C6-C7 level. Spinal canal and neural foramina in the cervical spine are otherwise patent.
1. Expected postsurgical changes of Chiari decompression including cauterization of the right cerebellar tonsil with increase in CSF spaces and CSF flow posteriorly at the foramen magnum. There is decrease in size of cervical syrinx extending from C2 to C4.2. Atlantooccipital assimilation and borderline widening of the atlantodental interval again seen. Mild multilevel cervical spine degenerative changes are not appreciably changed and described above.