The acute tetraparesis as a rare presentation of chiari malformation

Abstract

The authors present a case-report of a 25-year-old patient who developed symptoms of transversal injury of the spine. The patient was followed-up for 2 years and had a stable course of Chiari malformation I and syringomyelia. Motor disorders and deep sensory disorders developed without external cause and continued to increase during 2.5 weeks with the further development of pelvic disorders. After the urgent cranial/vertebral decompression with the plastics of the dura mater by a fragment of a wide fascia of the thigh, there was an increase in muscle power (with the complete recovery in hands), regress of deep sensory disorders in hands and pelvic disorders. A literature review on case-reports of acute neurological symptoms in Chiari malformation I and syringomyelia in presented.