Anomaly Arnold Chiari 1 type - what is it? Symptoms, consequences, treatment

It's no secret that during the formation of the embryo in the mother's womb, he may have various pathologies, including Arnold Chiari anomaly type 1.What is this disease? Physicians call this phenomenon a deviation that develops in the fetus because of the discrepancy between the size of the part of the skull and the brain placed in it. This is the area where the cerebellum is located. As a result, a part of the tonsils shifts to the upper part of the spine with further infringement.

Causes of the occurrence of

Can a person normally exist if he has an anomaly of Arnold Chiari type 1?Life expectancy, doctors say, depends on several factors: the severity and form of the disease. Before the final diagnosis, they determine the causes that led to the development of the deviation:

1. Congenital. In the fetus, the deformity of the skull bones is deformed: the fossa in which the cerebellum is located is too small for the growing and developing gray matter. Among other innate causes is the strong increase in the occipital foramen of the fetus during the formation of the skeleton.
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2. Purchased. First of all, these are head injuries during childbirth. Also, this category includes spine injuries: a negative impact on it of cerebrospinal fluid - a special fluid, the occurrence of dropsy and other pathologies of the spinal cord.

If to be extremely frank, the exact reasons scientists can not yet name. The only thing they are sure of: the syndrome is not associated with chromosomal abnormalities of development.

Risk Factors

Everyone knows that during the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus has a bookmark of virtually all organs. Therefore, the correct way of life of the mother is very important for the normal development of the child. If a woman does not follow the elementary rules, in the future it causes many complications. With regard to Chiari syndrome, the risk of its occurrence is increased by the following factors:

• Maternal addictions: smoking, alcohol and drug abuse.
• The use of potent drugs, self-medication.
• Migrated virus infections, especially rubella.

In especially mild forms of the disease, the born baby does not feel any special symptoms until the end of life, especially if he has an anomaly of Arnold Chiari type 1 diagnosed. How many children live, who have a third or even fourth stage of the disease? Doctors give disappointing forecasts. Unfortunately, such babies are doomed to death in most cases. Even if the infant has the first or second type of ailment, he needs treatment: the effectiveness of the surgical intervention is 85%.

Types of

Syndrome Regardless of their severity, they are all related to the very low location of the cerebellum. The deeper and more tonsils descend into the spinal canal, the more dangerous and unpredictable the disease: along with it, other deviations are diagnosed. On the basis of this, four forms of pathology are distinguished:

1. Arnold Chiari anomaly of type 1 - what kind of disease is this? Usually it does not cause any other problems in the development of the baby. Structural changes in the brain do not occur, the tonsils are located in the cervical region.
2. Syndrome of the second type. The cerebellum is partially displaced into the occipital opening, while the anomaly of the spine, brain and spinal cord are observed in the embryo.
3. Disease of the third type. The structures of the hindbrain completely shift into the occipital opening. In this zone, a hernia forms.
4. Arnold Chiari disease of the fourth type. It is characterized by hypoplasia of the cerebellum - its underdevelopment. At the same time, it is not displaced and often combines with hydrocephalus and congenital cysts of the posterior cranial pit.

Physicians say that the deviations of type 2, type 3 and type 4 are often diagnosed in combination with other serious deviations in the development of the baby: a heterotopy of the cerebral cortex, hypoplasia of the subcortical structures, anomalies of the corpus callosum, and so on.

The main symptoms of

As already mentioned, if the stage of the disease is very light, and the brain is touched insignificantly, then the disease can actually last a lifetime without disturbing the person. But this is a rather rare case. Usually permanent and regular headaches are the main sign of such an ailment as Arnold Chiari anomaly type 1.Symptoms for this form other than migraine are: pain in the cervical region, tinnitus, nausea and vomiting, weakness of the hands, loss of sensitivity of the limbs, flies and double vision, unsteady gait, lubricated speech and labored breathing.

As for the second type of syndrome, which is more dangerous and complex, its characteristic signs manifest immediately after birth or at a very young age( often in preschool).Usually it is wheezing noisy breathing in infants, a weak cry, a violation of breathing and swallowing. Such newborns are urgently resuscitated and are trying to save by surgical intervention. In these cases, the main thing is not to miss the moment when you can still save the life of a child.

Other symptoms of

They are observed with a more severe degree of the syndrome. The primary sources of the infarction of the brain or spinal cord are often these signs of the anomaly of Arnold Chiari: 1 type is not as scary as its other subspecies. They are characterized not only by double vision, but also complete blindness, loss of consciousness, impaired coordination, tremor of the extremities, problems with urination, muscle weakness, loss of sensitivity of the large part of the body( sometimes a whole half of the body).

The development of various health consequences can trigger an anomaly of Arnold Chiari 1 type. Lifespan and its normal course depend on rapid and accurate diagnosis. The only method to detect a pathology is the MRI( magnetic resonance imaging) of the brain. It requires from the patient a state of complete immobility, so active babies are euthanized with special medications. With the help of this apparatus, the spine, spinal cord, cervical and thoracic parts of the skeleton are also examined. MRI can detect not only the syndrome, but all the pathologies that accompany the disease.

Complications of

The development of various pathologies provokes Arnold Chiari anomaly of type 1.The consequences can be very different: starting from chronic arachnoiditis and ending with a parenchymal axon lesion. Especially bright these complications are manifested against the background of a circulatory disorder in the nerve tissues. Neuropsychic disorders in this case are manifested late and take place in the form of developmental lag, paraplegia. If the anomaly develops very progressively, it leads to hydrocephalus - excessive accumulation of fluid in the ventricular system of the brain.

In addition, Arnold Chiari's syndrome can cause such a strong squeezing of the spinal cord that the person is completely paralyzed. Under its negative impact, cysts and cavities in the spine often begin to form: they receive a liquid that disrupts the functioning of the spinal cord. There are also possible complications with breathing until it is completely stopped. Sometimes doctors register patients with congestive pneumonia - it becomes a consequence of the fact that a person loses the ability to move freely.

Conservative treatment of

The syndrome is treated with two methods. Doctors choose a conservative or surgical route depending on the symptoms and signs that the patient displays, the severity of the person's condition, the complications and consequences of the disease. Sometimes only with the help of medication can one fight with such a disease as Arnold Chiari anomaly type 1.What is this therapy? First, the physician constantly conducts preventive examinations of the patient, directs him to consultations with various specialists who, after the appropriate consultation, take the necessary measures.

If a patient complains of pain in the back of the head or in the neck, he is prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as drugs that help relax the muscles. It is very useful and a special therapeutic exercise - a set of exercises aimed at eliminating tremors in the limbs and normalizing coordination. To this end, they also prescribe active occupational therapy. And the lessons with a speech therapist, which will be able to eliminate problems with speech, will also be useful. All these methods can delay or completely prevent a more aggressive treatment - surgery.

Surgical intervention

It happens that the above measures do not help - the anomaly of Arnold Chiari 1 type is actively developing and delivering a lot of trouble. Treatment then dramatically changes: the doctor begins to prepare a person for surgical intervention. Neurosurgical operation is carried out with three goals. Firstly, to eliminate such serious signs of the disease as loss of consciousness, visual impairment, muscle weakness. Secondly, the intervention helps to remove the primary source of symptoms - to eliminate the squeezing of the brain. Thirdly, with the help of the operation, the liquor movement is normalized.

Intervention stops the process of changes in the structure of the spine and gray matter: as a result, the symptoms are weakened, the patient begins to feel much better. Usually surgeons from the back of the cranial cavity remove a bone fragment: the space for the brain increases, the gray matter stops shifting and squeezing. Also falls intracranial pressure. In addition, doctors actively use methods such as shunting and closing of the spinal canal.

Prevention

In order for a child not to have the above problems, the expectant mother should take seriously her situation. First, it is obliged to familiarize with all possible pathologies that may occur in the fetus: neural tube development disorders, Down's syndrome, Arnold Chiari anomaly of type 1.What are these diseases, why they arise and what measures can be taken to reduce the risk of developing these and other abnormalities, every future mother should know. A competent and knowledgeable pregnant woman will avoid as much as possible all those factors that adversely affect the formation of the embryo.

Secondly, a woman must fully eat, eat a variety of healthy dishes: fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, cereals and dairy products. Categorically not allowed alcohol. In addition, you need to give up smoking, not to mention drugs and potent drugs. Any medicine, even a homeopathic, future mother takes only after the appointment of a doctor. Thirdly, a woman should also walk a lot, breathe fresh air, move a lot. About nerves, experiences and negative emotions should be forgotten, enjoying their position and getting the maximum joy from life.