Treating Chiari Malformations
Posterior fossa decompression is a procedure where a small area of the bone at the base of the skull is removed to enlarge the area in the lower rear skull being compressed into the spinal canal.
The newly opened area allows the surgeon to see the tough outer membrane of the brain called the dura. An incision is generally made in the dura to see the cerebellum and upper spinal cord.
A piece of natural tissue, which lines the surface of the skull, is then used to patch the area to enlarge the region of the cerebellum (lower rear skull) and spinal canal.
