Chiari malformation

UW Medicine - Chiari Malformation Clinic

A discussion of a patient's cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) can quickly become very complicated, so we'll keep this discussion fairly basic. Take a look at this diagram:

The CSF in this diagram is colored in blue.

All we need to keep in mind is that your CSF is produced in the middle of your brain, the ventricles.

- It then exits your brain in various locations and circulates around the brain and spinal cord.

- This CSF is constantly being produced and your body manufactures a completely new supply approximately every six to eight hours. You can see how having the Chiari malformation can impede the flow of CSF.

- The mechanism that causes syrinx formation is still a controversial topic in the world of medicine. No one is sure why some people with a Chiari malformation develop a syrinx and others do not.

Here's a few other helpful facts to help you understand CSF and it's importance:

	CSF is mainly produced in the Choroid Plexus (pictured above). You make about 1/3 of a cc of CSF per kilogram of body weight per hour.
	CSF provides nutrients to your brain.
	CSF removes debris and waste products.
	It is a great protector! Think of the CSF as a "shock absorber" that protects the tissue from the bone during trauma.

Just remember that in the world of Chiari malformations:
1) Increasing the size of the posterior fossa by removing bone and
2) Restoring the normal flow of CSF should be the goal of every surgery.

	Remember...
	just think of your CSF as a "bath" that keeps your brain and spinal cord cushioned against the bones of your skull and spinal canal. Not only does this "bath" keep everything cushioned, but it also does what any good bath does...it keeps everything clean! Fascinating, don't you think?