Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is an excessive accumulation of spinal fluid (CSF) surrounding the brain and medulla spinalis. The excessive accumulation of CSF leads to abnormal dilation of brain ventricles that causes harmful pressure on the brain tissues.

Causes:

• Developmental disorders or tube defects like rachischisis and encephalocele.

• Complications of premature birth like intraventricular haemorrhage,

• diseases like meningitis, tumours, traumatic head injury,

• eliminating the cisterns due to subarachnoid haemorrhage blocking the exit from the ventricles to the cisterns

Symptoms vary with:

• age

• disease progression

• Individual differences in tolerance to CSF, infant skull can tolerate whereas older children & adults cannot.

In infants:

• Unusual large head size, vomiting, sleepiness, irritability, downward deviation of the eyes, seizures.

Older children and adults may include:

• Headache

• Vomiting or nausea

• Papilledema (swelling of the blind spot, a neighbourhood of the optic nerve)

• Visual disturbances: blurred vision, diplopia (double vision), and sunsetting of the eyes

• Poor coordination, difficulty in balance and gait disturbance enuresis

• Slowing or loss of development

• Lethargy, drowsiness, irritability or changes in personality or cognition or amnesia

Treatment

Implanting a shunt system may be a relatively short surgery. It involves an incision on the scalp and a tiny hole within the skull that permits access to the ventricle & the catheter to put. This catheter connects to the valve, allowing the CSF to empty far away from the brain (brain tumour operation). Another small incision to pass the top of the catheter into the abdominal cavity is formed. The shunt system will automatically hospitable drain excess CSF whenever the pressure within the skull exceeds the opening pressure assails the valve.

Consult a best neurosurgeon if you face any of the above symptoms to make an informed decision.

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