Pulsatile cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in Chiari I malformation syringomyelia: Predictive value in posterior fossa decompression and insights into the syringogenesis

Pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the syringomyelia associated with Chiari I malformation (CM-1) are still not completely understood, and reliable predictors of the outcome of posterior fossa decompression (PFD) are lacking accordingly. The reported prospective case-series study aimed to prove the existence of a pulsatile, biphasic systolic-diastolic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics inside the syrinx associated with CM-1 and to assess its predictive value of patients' outcome after PFD. Insights into the syringogenesis are also reported.