Incomplete lateral medullary syndrome in a patient with Chiari malformation Type I presenting with combined trigeminal and vagal nerve dysfunction

Abstract

The combination of unilateral trigeminal and vagal nerve dysfunction is a rare presentation in patients with Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I). The authors present a case of incomplete lateral medullary syndrome in a patient with CM-I. The patient's symptoms of decreased unilateral facial sensitivity to pain and temperature and her vocal cord dysfunction reversed after posterior fossa decompression and intradural exploration. Although rare, clinicians should be aware of this presentation as part of a protean spectrum of symptoms in patients with CM-I.