I'm new to this board so I hope my reply posts correctly.

Yes, things can come back and you can require more surgery (if the symptoms override the risks of brain surgery).

For what it's worth, here's my story:

I had a posterior fossa decompression in '90 at 19yrs old for my CM I that was causing progressive neural issues as well as syringomyelia (sp?) from a syst in the upper lumbar region of my spine. I healed well (being a relatively healthy young adult helps!) and went on to get 2 college degrees, get married, and have 2 children.

About '04 I started to notice different symptoms reappearing. Not anything surgery worthy at first but gradually they worsened and combined with a auto crash in '05, I wound up back in the search for a doctor that had enough Chiari experience to tell me what could be done. By '08 I had foud the TCI in NY and they looked at my herniation and symptoms. It turns out I had indeed reherniated and required surgery. They also found that I had Occult Tethered Cord Syndrome, and I also had my spinal cord untethered.

Long story short, I needed a 2nd CM surgery because my spine was tethered and reherniated my cerebral tonsils. Now hopefully without the pull my brain will stay put. So far 2 years out it seems to be holding up.


I hope this helps and you and the others who have posted are able to find some relief.