Chiari Decompression in Patients with Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension: Presenting Symptoms and Treatment Response.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a debilitating and often misdiagnosed condition. One important differential diagnosis is Chiari malformation type 1 (CM-1), which differs markedly in its pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, and treatment. We report seven cases of SIH initially misdiagnosed as CM-1, emphasizing the importance of considering SIH when evaluating low-lying cerebellar tonsils to prevent unnecessary procedures and delays in appropriate treatment.