Fw: Chiari Connection international Questions

[Guest guest]

Hi guys...

Here is another set of answers from one of our kind, contributing Drs.

....Professor Marcus Stoodley from Australia. For those who don't know him:

Professor Marcus Stoodley, BMedSc, MB BS, PhD, FRACS is the Head of

Neurosurgery. He trained at the University of Queensland and did a PhD in

Syringomyelia at the University of Adelaide. He did two years neurovascular

fellowship training at the University of Chicago and Stanford University. He has

over 20 years' experience with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and over

90 publications. His expertise is in the management of complex neurovascular

diseases, the management of Syringomyelia and Chiari Malformations. Professor

Stoodley's current research projects include the pathophysiology of

Syringomyelia and the molecular biology of arteriovenous malformations. He has

received over $1,100,000 in competitive grant funding. He has given over 100

presentations at scientific meetings and more than 30 invited lectures. He has

supervised four undergraduate projects and two higher degree projects.

http://www.medicine.mq.edu.au/faculty.html

We are so thankful to all this Drs for taking the time and having the interest

to share their knowledge with us..

Sally R... Decompression '91, Hydro, VP shunt, 2 shunt revisions, Feeling pretty

good on NO meds in Bethlehem,Pa

.. . .

Subject: RE: Chiari Connection international Questions

Hi Sally,

Please see my answers below...

To: Marcus Stoodley

Subject: Chiari Connection international Questions

.. . .

1.. Do you believe that Chiari and/or SM possess an autoimmunity factor?

[Marcus Stoodley] I don't think there is any evidence for this.

2.. Is there any relationship between CM and pineal cysts? How do you

recommend that these be treated?

[Marcus Stoodley] Small (< 1cm) cysts are very common and I have seen them in

patients who also have Chiari malformations. I doubt that there is any

connection and they should not be treated unless they are symptomatic in their

own right.

3.. What do you think about Cold laser therapy?

[Marcus Stoodley] I have no experience with this. It may be helpful for pain in

some patients. It will not affect a Chiari malformation or syrinx at all.

4.. What are your feelings about the non-invasive decompression surgeries ?

Are there any statistics available on these and their success rates?

[Marcus Stoodley] There is no such thing as " non-invasive decompression " . My

concern with " minimally invasive " surgery for Chiari is that there is a

significant risk of insufficient decompression. (Sally, note: this my error in

original questions... Duh <g> A correction was sent <g>)

5.. How is cerebellar ptosis diagnosed and treated?

6.. We often have list members trying to differentiate between potentially low

pressure and high pressure headaches. What do you feel are the most common

symptoms that would help to classify these?

[Marcus Stoodley] The main differentiating feature is that low pressure

headaches are worse with upright posture and are relieved with lying down.

.. . .