The Importance of your Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

A discussion of a patient's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can quickly become very complicated, so we'll keep this discussion fairly basic.

Take a look at the following diagram:



The CSF in the above 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 (noted in above diagram)

• 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.

Think of the CSF as a "shock absorber" that protects the tissue from the bone during trauma. It's a great protector!

Information on treating Chiari Malformations and Syringomyelia is available at the UW Medicine Chiari Malformation Web site.