Production and absorption of cerebrospinal fluid in the spinal subarachnoid space of the dog.

The formation and absorption capacity of CSF in the isolated spinal subarachnoid space was investigated in seven dogs by using a perfussion of a solution similar to the cerebrospinal fluid labeled with I 131. It was found that there was no CSF production in the spinal canal; however, there was an important absorption rate with an average of 0.2695 ml/min when the intraspinal pressure was of 10 centimeters of water. The clinical implications of this findings are discussed.