A diagnostic dilemma: cervical myelopathy in the presence of chiari 1 malformation and multi-level cord compression in a 79-year-old woman.

Chiari 1 malformation (CM1) is an unusual finding in the elderly population. Presenting features can overlap with other conditions including cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM); a more prevalent pathology in this age group. We present a rare case of CM1 in a 79-year-old woman with concomitant CSM who made an excellent recovery following a combined foremen magnum decompression and C5 skip laminectomy.