I am working on a neurosurgery paper (Chiari I) and reading into the literature I found multiple interventions for Chiari I malformation. I would like to know the difference between posterior fossa decompression (PFD), foramen magnum decompression (FMD) and Suboccipital decompression/craniectomy. I believe they are different names for the same thing, but I would like the input of a neurosurgeon please! Thank you!
They are the same. As you can see from the attached image, the posterior fossa is made up mostly of the Occipital bone. Hence, surgery for Chiari malformation involves removing the postero-inferior part of the occipital bone (Posterior boundary of foramen magnum). Chiari Decompression = FMD = Suboccipital craniectomy.
The approaches to the posterior fossa can be divided to anterior approaches and posterior approaches.
The anterior approaches can be further divided into sagittal plane ( midline ) or coronal plane ( lateral; and that include far median approach ), while the posterior approaches to the posterior foss can be divided into median, lateral (retrosegmoid), far lateral and extrem lateral.
On chiari malformation procedure we utilize the median suboccipital approaches; which are divided by Yasargil to superior and inferior.
The inferior approache is what people called the the approach to the Foramen Magnum; which also can take you to the 4th ventricle and the brainstem.
The official name of the chiari I decompression procedure is "inferior suboccipital decompression/craniectomy"
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