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The Reasons of Arnold-Chiari I, Idiopathic Syringomyelia, Idiopathic Scoliosis
1 points by creker 3234 days ago
Hello, I know that this site is for technical things. But doctors community is so closed and not friendly). I deciced to ask question here. Maybe someone has the experience or can give some usefull info.

There is institute in Barcelona which concludes that the reason of the diseases: Arnold-Chiari Syndrome Type I, Idiopathic Syringomyelia , Idiopathic Scoliosis, disc protrusions and herniations and others is abnormally tense Filum Terminale. The description on their site: https://institutchiaribcn.com/en/diseases-we-treat/filum-disease/

They suggests the surgery to cut filum terminale in the coccyx region. This relax tension and stop progress your disease.

The problem is that the traditional approach for Arnold Chiari 1, for example, is decompression surgery in the occiput. Most "traditional" doctors say that approach in Barcelona does not work, they just make money. But cannot give 100% proof that it does not work. Many Barcelona's pacients report that after their surgery have good improvements and quality of life. It's hard to find where the truth.

Is it possible that tension of filum terminale can (hypothetically)causes , for example , scoliosys or disc damages, or chiari 1?

In site they write that the first person who gives attention on relationship between tension and scoliosis was McKenzie, a neurosurgeon from Toronto. If that is true why future investigation was not prolonged in Canada or USA and were just forgotten.

Now I found McKenzie article and am trying to read and understand it. The article http://www.boneandjoint.org.uk/content/jbjsbr/31-B/2/162.full.pdf

Any info or your expirience in such diseases or expirience in Barca will very usefull.

Thanks.

1 comments

Tethered cord is a recognised cause of scoliosis and we check for it on all MR scans of this region. I'm not aware of it causing some of the other things you list in your post. Where are you based? If you are able to see a reputable neurosurgeon in any first world city locally I would be tempted to just take their advice.
Thank you for answer. They (insitute in Barcelona) differs "Tethered cord" disease and "tension of filum terminale". They created the new name "Filum Disease" which includes chiari, scoliosys, etc. The link https://institutchiaribcn.com/en/diseases-we-treat/filum-dis...

They insist that the reason of, for example, scoliosis is namely "tension of filum terminale", _not_ tethered cord.

I am from Russia. I met with the best doctors (neurologists, neurosurgeons) specialized on Chiari 1, Syrongomieliya. Much of them does not belive in Barcelona method. But several сautiously say that sometimes the method can help - one our doctor reports reduction of cyst of syringomyelia.

Unfortunately, the community of doctors is not so open for public debates and exchange of the experience as for ex. IT :) The changes in treatment methods are so slow (. Mistrust to each other stops progress in the studying of these diseases.