Chiari malformation

Chiari malformation care at Mayo Clinic

Your Mayo Clinic care team

Mayo Clinic doctors trained in brain and nervous system conditions (neurologists), brain and nervous system surgery (neurosurgeons), and brain and nervous system conditions in children (pediatric neurologists and pediatric neurosurgeons) work together with other specialists to diagnose Chiari malformation and determine the most appropriate treatment for you. This means that you're not getting just one opinion — you benefit from the knowledge and experience of each specialist.

Advanced diagnosis and treatment

Accurate diagnosis is critical for providing appropriate treatment for each person. Mayo Clinic specialists have expertise and experience in treating Chiari malformation and other conditions. Each year, Mayo Clinic health care professionals treat more than 2,000 people with Chiari malformation.

In Mayo Clinic's efficient system, specialists usually can diagnose your condition and develop a treatment plan within days, not weeks. Close collaboration enables the team to have your test results available quickly and to coordinate the scheduling of your appointments.

Expertise and rankings

• Cutting-edge research. Mayo Clinic's long history of pioneering medical research means you have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment facilities and numerous groundbreaking clinical trials. Mayo Clinic experts are constantly seeking new knowledge to improve diagnosis and therapies for many different brain and nervous system disorders, including Chiari malformation.
• Pediatric expertise. Mayo Clinic neurologists trained in treating children with brain and nervous system conditions (pediatric neurologists) have experience evaluating and treating children with Chiari malformation at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic's neurology and neurosurgery departments' expertise and rankings.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona., rank among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery and for cancer in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2024–2025 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings. With the emphasis on collaborative care, specialists interact very closely with their colleagues across all sites.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:

Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.