Chiari Malformation Center at Stanford Medicine Children's Health

US News - Stanford Medicine Children's Health

The Chiari Malformation Center at Stanford Medicine Children's Health is a destination center for the treatment of Chiari malformations, we see patients from around the world. Our surgeons have decades of experience treating this patient population, and our state-of-the-art surgical facilities equip us to offer the best available treatment for whatever surgical challenges a patient brings to us. Our team of top pediatric neurosurgery and other specialists offer leading-edge diagnosis and treatments.

Our evolving diagnostic and surgical techniques minimize discomfort and recovery time and maximize the safety and effectiveness of each procedure. The goal of surgery is to return our young patients to active, healthy lives.

What is Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1)?

Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1) causes a small part of the brain to impede the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the head into the cervical spine. This abnormality can increase pressure in the brain and cause waves of CSF to pulse down the spinal column. If left untreated, Chiari malformation type 1 can cause painful, disruptive and sometimes disabling symptoms. Although the structural abnormalities of most cases of Chiari malformation type 1 are present at birth, symptoms usually don’t appear until late childhood or early adolescence, when most cases are diagnosed. Some common symptoms include headaches, dizziness, sleep and vision problems, and depression.

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