Hydrocephalus (patient information)

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Hydrocephalus

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Hydrocephalus?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

(Condition) On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of Hydrocephalus

Videos on Hydrocephalus

FDA on Hydrocephalus

CDC on Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus in the news

Blogs on Hydrocephalus

Directions to Hospitals Treating Hydrocephalus

Risk calculators and risk factors for Hydrocephalus

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant-Editor-In-Chief: Meagan E. Doherty

Overview

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which the brain swells due to a build up of fluid inside the skull. Hydrocephalus literally means "water on the brain." Hydrocephalus is dangerous and requires immediate medical attention. 60% of people who do not seek medical treatment die.

What are the symptoms of Hydrocephalus?

Symptoms of Hydrocephalus can vary from person to person and usually depend on age, severity, and cause.

Infants:

  • Bulging soft spot (fontanelle)
  • Larger than normal head size
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting
  • Constant tiredness
  • Irritability
  • Gaps between skull bones
  • Eyes that are constantly looking down

Older children:

What are the causes of Hydrocephalus?

There is a layer of fluid called [cerebrospinal fluid] (CSF) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and creates a cushion between the brain and the skull. Normally the CSF flows in and around the brain providing nutrients and oxygen before getting reabsorbed by the bloodstream but, when something goes wrong the CSF may begin to build up and put pressure on the brain.

Causes of CSF blockage include:

  • [Traumatic brain injury] (TBI)
  • Tumors
  • Genetic defects
  • In-utero infections
  • Bleeding in the brain in premature infants
  • Meningitis
  • Other infections contracted after birth

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for Hydrocephalus?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Hydrocephalus

Prevention of Hydrocephalus

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Sources

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