Ask the Expert: The Initial Appointment – Additional Conditions to Evaluate

VIRTUAL MEETING - November 4, 2021

Dr. James Stephen, Medical Director and primary surgeon at the Colorado Chiari Institute, logged on with us to discuss “The Initial Appointment – Additional Conditions to Evaluate” at the Colorado Chiari Institute. Chiari malformation alone can be a complicated issue causing a variety of symptoms; one reason it can be so complicated, unfortunately, is that it can be accompanied by related or a primary disorder that can cause a radiographic image to look like a Chiari. Dr. Stephen walks us through the journey from a Chiari surgeon’s perspective, from imaging to the diagnosis stage, the initial appointment and then important conditions and additional tests to consider before making decisions on treatment options which may or may not include surgery. Some conditions Dr. Stephen and his team test and evaluate for are hypermobility, craniocervical instability, CSF hypotension, autoimmune disease, and more! Dr. Stephen also answered questions surrounding treatment for Intracranial Idiopathic Hypertension, how patients can help clinicians parse out what is Chiari versus what is co-morbidity, CSF leaks, and persistent symptoms even after surgery and possible next steps to take. This lecture and Q&A was given completely virtually on November 4, 2021 under the Ask the Expert Series. (2021) Note from Bobby Jones CSF: We want to take a moment to sincerely thank all those who donated in support of this virtual presentation. No one at the organization was expecting that much generosity during such a difficult time for us all. From the bottom of the hearts of our boards, staff and volunteers, we want to thank you for your donations. Your kindness continues to motivate us and makes us all the more certain that this work is valuable and helping the people who need it. Thank you.   Full transcript (coming soon):

Revised: 11/2021