The idea of the bridge was discussed in the Michigan Legislature as early as the 1880s. At the time, the Straits of Mackinac area was becoming a popular tourist destination, especially following the creation of Mackinac National Park on Mackinac Island in 1875.
The most common location for this malformation is the lumbar spine, the lower back. Because, by definition, a meningocele does not include any malformation of the spinal cord, typically there are not significant neurological symptoms of this malformation. The typical presentation is a bulging sac on the lower back in a newborn child.
Chiari malformation is a condition that causes the cerebellum â the part of the brain that controls coordination and muscle movement â to push into the space normally occupied by the spinal cord. Most kids who have it are born with the condition, but some develop it as they grow. Normally, the cerebellum sits at the back of the skull, just above the spine. When a child has a Chiari malformation, the space for the cerebellum is sometimes too small or unusually shaped.