Chiari Malformation Research and Innovation

The Chiari Malformation Center at Stanford Medicine Children's Health has earned a national reputation for delivering the highest standard of family-focused care. Innovative work in minimally invasive neurosurgery and imaging techniques, supported by cutting-edge technology and pioneering laboratory research gives our Center an advantage in efficiency of diagnosis and in developing lower risk surgical treatments.

Research and technology

Operating in one of the most advanced surgical facilities with the latest technology, working at the forefront of minimally invasive treatments and using innovative surgical techniques empowers us to improve diagnosis, reduce recovery time and improve our patients’ quality of life after treatment.

We also implemented virtual and augmented reality to maximize the child experience as well as to enhance education, training and surgical planning.

Relevant research studies

Our team actively contributes to furthering the understanding of Chiari malformation and advancing its care. Recent research studies include:

The role of occipital condyle and atlas anomalies on occipital cervical fusion outcomes in Chiari malformation type I with syringomyelia: a study from the Park-Reeves Syringomyelia Research Consortium Journal of Neurology: Pediatrics, Yahanda, A. T., Koueik, J., Ackerman, L. L., Adelson, P. D., Albert, G. W., Aldana, P. R., Alden, T. D., Anderson, R. C., Bauer, D. F., Bethel-Anderson, T., Bierbrauer, K., Brockmeyer, D. L., Chern, J. J., Couture, D. E., Daniels, D. J., Dlouhy, B. J., Durham, S. R., Ellenbogen, R. G., Eskandari, R., Fuchs, H. E., Grant, G. A., Graupman, P. C., Greene, S., Greenfield, J. P., Gross, N. L., Guillaume, D. J., Hankinson, T. C., Heuer, G. G., Iantosca, M., Iskandar, B. J., Jackson, E. M., Jallo, G. I., Johnston, J. M., Kaufman, B. A., Keating, R. F., Khan, N. R., Krieger, M. D., Leonard, J. R., Maher, C. O., Mangano, F. T., Martin, J., McComb, J. G., McEvoy, S. D., Meehan, T., Menezes, A. H., Muhlbauer, M. S., O'Neill, B. R., Olavarria, G., Ragheb, J., Selden, N. R., Shah, M. N., Shannon, C. N., Shimony, J. S., Smyth, M. D., Stone, S. S., Strahle, J. M., Tamber, M. S., Torner, J. C., Tuite, G. F., Tyler-Kabara, E. C., Wait, S. D., Wellons, J. C., Whitehead, W. E., Park, T. S., Limbrick, D. D., Ahmed, R., 2024; 34 (1): 66-74

In reply: Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines for patients with Chiari malformation: surgical interventions Neurosurgery Bauer, D. F., Pattisapu, J. V., Ackerman, L. L., Infinger, L. K., Jackson, E. M., Jernigan, S., Maher, C. O., Niazi, T., Qaiser, R., Quinsey, C., Raskin, J. S., Rocque, B. G., Silberstein, H., Vachhrajani, S., 2024; 94 (2): e35-e36

Sports participation and neurological injuries in pediatric patients with Chiari I malformation Neurosurgery Wieland, C. M., Holste, K. G., Selzer, B., Garton, H. L., Muraszko, K. M., Maher, C. O., 2023; 93 (3): 646-653

Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines for patients with Chiari malformation: surgical interventions Neurosurgery Pattisapu, J. V., Ackerman, L. L., Infinger, L. K., Maher, C. O., Quinsey, C., Rocque, B. G., Silberstein, H., Jackson, E. M., Jernigan, S., Niazi, T., Qaiser, R., Raskin, J. S., Vachhrajani, S., Bauer, D. F., 2023; 93 (4): 731-735

Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines for patients with Chiari malformation: symptoms Neurosurgery Jackson, E. M., Jernigan, S., Raskin, J. S., Ackerman, L. L., Infinger, L. K., Maher, C. O., Niazi, T., Pattisapu, J. V., Qaiser, R., Quinsey, C., Rocque, B. G., Silberstein, H., Vachhrajani, S., Bauer, D. F., 2023; 93 (4): 727-730

Congress of Neurological Surgeons systematic review and evidence-based guidelines for patients with Chiari malformation: diagnosis Neurosurgery Bauer, D. F., Niazi, T., Qaiser, R., Infinger, L. K., Vachhrajani, S., Ackerman, L. L., Jackson, E. M., Jernigan, S., Maher, C. O., Pattisapu, J. V., Quinsey, C., Raskin, J. S., Rocque, B. G., Silberstein, H., 2023; 93 (4): 723-726

Epidemiology of Chiari I malformation and syringomyelia Neurosurgery Clinics of North America Holste, K. G., Muraszko, K. M., Maher, C. O., 2023; 34 (1): 9-15

Superficial abdominal reflex in syringomyelia: associations with Chiari I malformation Journal of Clinical Neuroscience Nadel, J. L., Ziats, C., Mossner, J. M., Starr, J. B., Smith, B. W., Kelly, M. P., Muraszko, K. M., Farley, F. A., Maher, C. O., Garton, H. L., Strahle, J. M., 2022; 98: 1-5

Socioeconomic and demographic factors in the diagnosis and treatment of Chiari malformation type I and syringomyelia Journal of Neurology: Pediatrics Akbari, S. H., Rizvi, A. A., CreveCoeur, T. S., Han, R. H., Greenberg, J. K., Torner, J., Brockmeyer, D. L., Wellons, J. C., Leonard, J. R., Mangano, F. T., Johnston, J. M., Shah, M. N., Iskandar, B. J., Ahmed, R., Tuite, G. F., Kaufman, B. A., Daniels, D. J., Jackson, E. M., Grant, G. A., Powers, A. K., Couture, D. E., Adelson, P. D., Alden, T. D., Aldana, P. R., Anderson, R. C., Selden, N. R., Bierbrauer, K., Boydston, W., Chern, J. J., Whitehead, W. E., Dauser, R. C., Ellenbogen, R. G., Ojemann, J. G., Fuchs, H. E., Guillaume, D. J., Hankinson, T. C., O'Neill, B. R., Iantosca, M., Oakes, W. J., Keating, R. F., Klimo, P., Muhlbauer, M. S., McComb, J. G., Menezes, A. H., Khan, N. R., Niazi, T. N., Ragheb, J., Shannon, C. N., Smith, J. L., Ackerman, L. L., Jea, A. H., Maher, C. O., Narayan, P., Albert, G. W., Stone, S. S., Baird, L. C., Gross, N. L., Durham, S. R., Greene, S., McKinstry, R. C., Shimony, J. S., Strahle, J. M., Smyth, M. D., Dacey, R. G., Park, T. S., Limbrick, D. D., 2021; 29 (3): 288-297

Longitudinal scoliosis behavior in Chiari malformation with and without syringomyelia Journal of Neurology: Pediatrics Chotai, S., Nadel, J. L., Holste, K. G., Mossner, J. M., Smith, B. W., Kapurch, J. R., Muraszko, K. M., Garton, H. L., Maher, C. O., Strahle, J. M., 2021; 28 (5): 585-591