Cough Syncope, a Rare Presenting Symptom of Chiari I Malformation and Atlanto-Occipital Assimilation

Chiari I malformation and atlanto-occipital assimilation are both fairly uncommon conditions. Symptoms usually present during adolescence or adulthood, typically consisting of headache or neck pain. Cough-associated syncope is an unusual presenting symptom. The diagnosis of this condition in a pulmo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Inês Carrilho Oliveira, Joana Carvalho, Luisa Oliveira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SMC MEDIA SRL 2020-02-01
Series:European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/1466
Description
Summary:Chiari I malformation and atlanto-occipital assimilation are both fairly uncommon conditions. Symptoms usually present during adolescence or adulthood, typically consisting of headache or neck pain. Cough-associated syncope is an unusual presenting symptom. The diagnosis of this condition in a pulmonology department is even rarer. We report the case of a 62-year-old male referred to our pulmonology department due to complaints of cough-associated syncope. After several examinations, a pharyngeal CT scan incidentally showed low positioning of the cerebellar tonsils. Cerebral MRI confirmed the diagnosis of Chiari I malformation and atlanto-occipital assimilation and the patient was effectively treated with surgical decompression.
ISSN:2284-2594