Neurologist Questions Neurosurgeon

Chairi malformation complications?

I had decompression surgery with a syrinx drain about 4 years ago and a lot of my symptoms are coming back if not worse. My memory is so bad that I have to make a daily chart to remind myself that things need to be done, my brain fog has returned worse than before, the lack of feeling in my hands is bad enough that I need to use my forearm to tell if the water is too hot for my daughter's bath. The most recent returns are the migraines and the sharp shooting pain up my spine. I'm worried that my syrinx is returning. I don't have a neurologist and the neurosurgeon that did the surgery doesn't want to see me, what should I do?

Female | 22 years old
Complaint duration: since birth
Medications: none
Conditions: chairi malformation

2 Answers

I would first go to your primary care provider with your complaints. He/she can place a referral to a neurologist if he/she cannot identify the problem.

Vernita D. Hairston, MD
Dept. of Neurology
Many thanks for your question,

I agree that the recurrence of your symptoms suggest that there might be a failure of the operation that you had for the Chiari malformation or some relevant complication such as hydrocephalus (increased amount of fluid in the brain). I advise that you need to be clinically assessed (examination) and, if there is an indication, to organize an MRI scan.
Best wishes.