How can I find a doctor with a lot of Chiari experience?
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) does not recognize Chiari as a sub-specialty. This, combined with liability issues and the difficulty in establishing expert-level criteria (what does it take to qualify as an expert?) make it difficult to put together a list of Chiari experts. Each person must find a doctor they are comfortable with. Some people like to see university based researchers, some would prefer a regular neurosurgeon; some are willing to travel for surgery, others aren’t; some want a surgeon they can relate to, others think surgical skill is more important. When trying to find a doctor, some things to consider are how many Chiari surgeries they do a year, how many total surgeries they do a year, are they up to speed on the latest thinking on Chiari, how they relate to patients, and what type of reputation they have among patients and the medical community (this is by no means comprehensive). There is no right answer to these questions; they are just in
