Arnold Chiari Malformation Mimicking Postdural Puncture Headache in a Postpartum Female

Brittany N. Robles*, Angel Troche, Ana Munoz-Matta, Daniel Faustin, Ralph Ruggiero
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn 11237, USA

Correspondence to: Brittany N. Robles, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn 11237, USA; E-mail: BrittanyNoelRobles@gmail.com
Received date: September 3, 2020; Accepted date: September 12, 2020; Published date: September 19, 2020
Citation: Robles BN, Troche A, Munoz-Matta A, et al. (2020) Arnold Chiari Malformation Mimicking Postdural Puncture Headache in a Postpartum Female. J Obst Gynecol Surg 1(2): pp. 1-3. doi: 10.52916/jogs204007
Copyright: ©2020 Robles BN, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract

Arnold Chiari malformations are a group of structural defects ranging from herniation of the hindbrain to skeletal deformities and neurological dysfunction. Type I Arnold Chiari is the most common type of malformation with a prevalence of 1 in 1000 births. Patients are frequently asymptomatic; however, if symptoms do develop, it is typically during the reproductive age. Suboccipital headaches and neck pain are the most common symptoms that one with type 1 Arnold Chiari will experience. Here we present a case of a 29 year old, Afican American female, G4P1021, who presented to our labor and delivery unit at forty weeks and two days of gestation complaining of regular painful uterine contractions. She delivered a healthy neonate vaginally with vacuum assistance and developed an occipital headache associated with neck pain on postpartum day 1. Her symptoms did not resolve after 2 blood patches at which point she was evaluated by neurology. Head imaging was performed and notable for an Arnold Chiari malformation.

Keywords:

Menstrual period, Abortion, Pregnancy, Postdural puncture.