Pathogenesis and Cerebrospinal Fluid Hydrodynamics of the Chiari I Malformation.

This article summarizes the current understanding of the pathophysiology of the Chiari I malformation that is based on observations of the anatomy visualized by modern imaging with MRI and prospective studies of the physiology of patients before and after surgery. The pathogenesis of a Chiari I malformation of the cerebellar tonsils is grouped into 4 general mechanisms.