Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus, or more easily termed "water on the brain" is in actuality, a collection of cerebrospinal fluid that is in the brain. There are degrees of this disease usually showing in infancy from severe levels down to only partial blockage. I know. I am a hydrocephalic and was diagnosed at 5 months old. I was shunted at that time, and had partial blockage at that point.

Anyhow, the cerebrospinal fluid which collects up into the brain abnormally, causes the head to widen, causing pressure on the brain. Pressure on the brain creates severe headaches and vomiting as long as the duration of it lasts.

The brain's ventricular system has a total of four ventricles. The ventricles are connected by narrow passages. The cerebrospinal fluid flows through these ventricles of the brain and exits into reservoirs at the brain's base. This fluid also washes the top of the brain and spinal cord. After that, the bloodstream will pull the fluid back in.

Your cerebrospinal fluid is what is important in sustaining life, and the main functions are:

The fluid acts as a protective cushion to keep the tissue of the brain functional.

The fluid acts as a transporting system for brain nutrition and getting rid of waste.

This fluid is also supposed to transport fluid between the cranium and spine, and this is to serve as compensation for the amount of blood inside of the brain.

When the balance of this cerebrospinal fluid is disturbed, then there is an overflow of cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid pressure in turn then means hydrocephalus.

Types of this neurological disease are:

Congenital This is present at birth or shortly after birth. In fetal development, sometimes the tissues do not all form properly in the brain, causing this situation.

Acquired means that water on the brain can affect any age group. This is brought on by head injury or disease.

There are also forms which are either communicating or non-communicating. When the flow of cerebrospinal fluid is blocked after going through the brain's ventricles, this is known as communicating. This means that the fluid is still able to get through the ventricles, which remain as opened. In the non-communicating form, the opposite is true. The cerebrospinal fluid is blocked in at least one or more passages that are narrow, which connect the ventricles of the brain.

Causes of water on the brain are still not well known by researchers and doctors. Theories have been made that it might be genetics that play a role, or from some type of neural tube defects. Babies that are premature have a higher chance of this fluid pressure happening, and also any traumatic head injury such as a skull fracture.

Signs that appear with hydrocephalus is very obvious in that the head is suddenly very large, and protruding either forward or backward. Sometimes infants have a difficult time with buildup due to the skull not being able to expand properly.

This condition is often treated with a shunt system. The shunt will channel the flow of fluid from the brain to a part of the body so that it can be part of the normal process in circulation as it should be in those without the disease.

The shunt is a plastic tube, flexible and very durable with a catheter and also a valve. The end of the catheter is placed inside one of the brain's ventricles or in the cerebrospinal fluid, while the other side of the catheter goes into the abdominal cavity for drainage. The valve maintains a flow which goes one way, and cerebrospinal fluid is then regulated.

Sometimes shunt systems require replacement. They do fail in cases of infection, obstruction, or else the catheter needs replacement. If the shunt overdrains, it can cause the ventricles in the brain to collapse, and destroy blood vessels causing a headache, or vomiting. On the other hand, if the shunt underdrains, which means that that cerebrospinal fluid is not taken off as it needs to be, then water on the brain that is overloading again will be present.

Infections in a shunt can also happen with shunts. There will usually be muscle pain and fevers, and brain pressure. When this happens, help needs to be sought immediately.

What is the outcome for hydrocephalus? It all depends. Some children are unable to walk, may have trouble talking and learning. This is usually in the more severe type. For others, it all depends on the fluid pressure and how long it has taken place. Medical problems are usually present in both cases to some degree, and there are shunt changes for many children depending on the cf fluid load in the brain.

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