IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1422 
Recognizing and promoting awareness of Chiari malformation and expressing 
support for designation of a ‘‘National Chiari Malformation Month’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 
Mr. KANJORSKI submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing and promoting awareness of Chiari malformation 
and expressing support for designation of a ‘‘National 
Chiari Malformation Month’’. 
Whereas Chiari malformation, as recognized by the National 
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, includes 
a complex group of disorders characterized by herniation 
of the cerebellum; 
Whereas the herniated tissue blocks the circulation of cere-
brospinal fluid in the brain which can lead to the forma-
tion of a cavity within the spinal cord; 
Whereas symptoms of Type I Chiari malformation include se-
vere headache, dizziness, vertigo, disequilibrium, visual 
disturbances, difficulty swallowing, heart palpitations, 
sleep apnea, impaired fine motor skills, chronic fatigue, 
and painful tingling of the hands and feet; 
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•HRES 1422 IH 
Whereas because of the complex symptomology, patients with 
Type I Chiari malformation are frequently misdiagnosed; 
Whereas Type II Chiari malformation, also called Arnold- 
Chiari malformation, is usually accompanied by a 
myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida that occurs 
when the spinal canal and the backbone do not close be-
fore birth, causing the spinal cord to protrude through an 
opening in the back, which can result in partial or com-
plete paralysis below the spinal opening; 
Whereas Type III Chiari malformation, the most serious 
form, results in severe and often irreversible neurological 
defects; 
Whereas treatment for this disorder is not a certain and de-
finitive path, and medication may ease certain symptoms 
such as pain, but often surgery is the only treatment 
available to correct functional disturbances or halt the 
progression of damage to the central nervous system; 
Whereas until recently, Chiari malformation was regarded as 
a rare condition, but with the increased use of magnetic 
resonance imaging, the number of reported cases has 
risen from 200,000 to 2,000,000 Americans; 
Whereas new genetic studies support a hereditary tendency 
with a transmissibility rate of 12 percent; 
Whereas the studies also found that women are three times 
more likely to be afflicted by the debilitating disorder 
than men; and 
Whereas September 2008 would be an appropriate month to 
designate as ‘‘National Chiari Malformation Month’’: 
Now, therefore, be it 
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•HRES 1422 IH 
Resolved, That the United States House of Rep-
resentatives— 
(1) recognizes the importance of making citi-
zens of the United States aware of Chiari malforma-
tion and helps promote advocacy for this important 
cause; and 
(2) supports the designation of a ‘‘National 
Chiari Malformation Month’’. 
Æ 
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