Word parts
What it means
A watery fluid made in the brain's ventricles that flows around the brain and spinal cord. It protects them from shock, carries nutrients and removes wastes. A sample is taken by lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to check for infection such as meningitis, bleeding or other disease.
For the nurse
Clear fluid leaking from the nose or ears after a head injury may be CSF; do not pack the nose, and report it. After a lumbar puncture, watch for headache and leaking at the site, and follow orders on positioning and fluids.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | CSF |
|---|---|
| Spanish | líquido cefalorraquídeo |
| Also written | CSF |
Related terms
central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord together.
intracranial pressure
The pressure inside the skull, made by the brain, the blood and the fluid around the brain.
spinal cord
The long bundle of nerves that runs down through the backbone and carries messages between the brain and the body.
traumatic brain injury
Damage to the brain caused by an outside force, such as a blow or jolt to the head or an object entering the skull.