Hi. My niece was recently diagnosed with CM1 and the doctor recommends decompression surgery. She is only 16 yrs old and the family is still recovering from loosing a family member due to a surgery. We are aware of the urgency of her condition but our trust in the hospitals here are wavering. Is there other non-invasive procedures?
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss!
There is not a lot of consensus on the "best" way to approach a decompression. Some doctors do a less invasive procedure in that they leave the dura intact and only remove a portion of skull. Sometimes that works out but a lot of times these people end up needing a second surgery because they weren't adequately decompressed. The main thing is having a neurosurgeon that you trust! Preferably someone who has a lot of experience with chiari and has done many decompressions. Definitely get a second or even third opinion before picking a surgeon!
The good news is that while there are naturally some risks, as far as brain surgery goes from a surgical standpoint this one of the easier surgeries they do.