A Systematic Review of Non-Opioid Pain Management in Chiari Malformation (Type 1) Patients: Current Evidence and Novel Therapeutic Opportunities

Chiari Malformation Type I (CM) includes a range of cranial abnormalities at the junction of the skull with the spine, with common symptoms including pain and headaches. Currently, CM pain is managed medically through anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and opioids, while surgical management includes posterior fossa decompression. Given the adverse effects of opioid use, and an ongoing opioid epidemic, there is a need for safe, non-opioid alternatives for clinical pain management. This systematic review was performed to provide an update on the current literature pertaining to the treatment of CM pain with non-opioid alternatives. A literature search was performed in June 2022 utilizing the PubMed and Google Scholar databases, and articles were identified that included information regarding non-opioid pain management in CM patients. A total of 90 articles were obtained from this search, including 10 relevant, drug-specific studies. Two independent reviewers selected and included all relevant articles based on the chosen search criteria to minimize bias risk. Currently available treatments for neurosurgical pain management include anticonvulsants, corticosteroids, NSAIDs, anti-inflammatory drugs, NMDA receptor antagonists, local anesthetics, nerve blocks, scalp blocks, and neuromuscular blocks. While more information is needed on the use of non-opioid pain management, the present literature provides potential evidence of its efficacy amongst the CM patient population, on account of the success that non-opioid pain management has demonstrated within other neurological pain syndromes. Further research into non-pharmacological pain management would also benefit the CM population and could be generalized to related conditions.