HYDROCEPHALUS.

NAME: JHONNY AGUILAR

WHAT IS HYDROCEPHALUS?
• HYDROCEPHALUS IS THE BUILDUP OF FLUID IN THE CAVITIES
(VENTRICLES) DEEP WITHIN THE BRAIN. THE EXCESS FLUID
INCREASES THE SIZE OF THE VENTRICLES AND PUTS PRESSURE ON
THE BRAIN.
• CEREBROSPINAL FLUID NORMALLY FLOWS THROUGH THE
VENTRICLES AND BATHES THE BRAIN AND SPINAL COLUMN. BUT THE
PRESSURE OF TOO MUCH CEREBROSPINAL FLUID ASSOCIATED WITH
HYDROCEPHALUS CAN DAMAGE BRAIN TISSUES AND CAUSE A
RANGE OF BRAIN FUNCTION PROBLEMS.
THE CAUSES OF HYDROCEPHALUS.
LITTLE IS UNDERSTOOD ABOUT THE CAUSES OF
HYDROCEPHALUS. SOME CASES OF HYDROCEPHALUS ARE
PRESENT AT BIRTH, WHILE OTHERS DEVELOP IN CHILDHOOD
OR ADULTHOOD. HYDROCEPHALUS CAN BE INHERITED
GENETICALLY, MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENTAL
DISORDERS, LIKE SPINA BIFIDA OR ENCEPHALOCELE, OR
OCCUR AS A RESULT OF BRAIN TUMORS, HEAD INJURIES,
HEMORRHAGE OR DISEASES SUCH AS MENINGITIS.
 THE SYMPTOMS OF HYDROCEPHALUS.
• THE SYMPTOMS OF HYDROCEPHALUS TEND TO VARY GREATLY FROM
PERSON TO PERSON AND ACROSS DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.

Infants Children and Adolescents

•Unusually large head size •Nausea and vomiting
•Rapidly increasing head circumference •Swelling of the optic disc or papilledema
•Bulging and tense fontanelle or soft spot •Blurred or double
•Prominent scalp veins •Balance and gait abnormalities
•Downward deviation of eyes or sunset sign •Slowing or loss of developmental progress
•Vomiting •Changes in personality
•Sleepiness •Inability to concentrate
•Irretability. •Seizures
•Seizures. •Poor appetite
•Urinary incontinence
 TREATMENT.

• HYDROCEPHALUS CAN BE TREATED IN A VARIETY OF

WAYS. BASED ON THE UNDERLYING ETIOLOGY, THE
CONDITION MAY BE TREATED DIRECTLY BY REMOVING
THE CAUSE OF CSF OBSTRUCTION OR INDIRECTLY BY
DIVERTING THE EXCESS FLUID. HYDROCEPHALUS IS
MOST COMMONLY TREATED INDIRECTLY BY
IMPLANTING A DEVICE KNOWN AS A “SHUNT” TO
DIVERT THE EXCESS CSF AWAY FROM THE BRAIN.
THE END.