Can hydrocephalus be treated with medicine?
There is little use for medication in hydrocephalus. In some acquired cases, as with tumors and infections, resolving the underlying condition will resolve the hydrocephalus, but most patients still require surgical intervention. There are generally two approaches to treating hydrocephalus.
What is the current treatment for hydrocephalus?
The current standard treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical implantation of a shunt. A shunt redirects cerebrospinal fluid to another part of the body. This lets the brain’s enlarged ventricles return to a more normal size in an effort to relieve the symptoms of hydrocephalus.
How is hydrocephalus treated in adults?
The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is a medical device called a shunt, a flexible tube, which is placed in the ventricular system of the brain and connected to a valve. A small hole called a burrhole is made in the skull and the tube is gently guided through the brain to the fluid-filled ventricles.
Can you live a normal life with hydrocephalus?
What is the prognosis? If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal. Early diagnosis and successful treatment improve the chance for a good recovery. With the benefits of surgery, rehabilitative therapies, and educational interventions, many people with hydrocephalus live relatively normal lives.
What is the survival rate of hydrocephalus?
Survival in untreated hydrocephalus is poor. Approximately, 50% of the affected patients die before three years of age and approximately 80% die before reaching adulthood. Treatment markedly improves the outcome for hydrocephalus not associated with tumors, with 89% and 95% survival in two case studies.
Does hydrocephalus hurt?
However, as the condition progresses, headaches may become continuous. Other symptoms of acquired hydrocephalus include: neck pain. feeling sick.
How long does it take to recover from hydrocephalus?
Recovery from a VP shunt placement takes three to four days. Most people can leave the hospital within seven days after the procedure. During your hospitalization, the hospital staff will monitor your heart rate and blood pressure, and your doctor will administer preventive antibiotics.
How Serious Is shunt surgery?
Unlike most surgical procedures, in which the risks are highest during the operation itself, most of the common problems associated with shunting can and do occur at a later time. The most common complications with shunting are obstruction, infection, and overdrainage of cerebrospinal fluid.
What happens if hydrocephalus is left untreated?
Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain. The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it. If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal.
How do you get hydrocephalus in adults?
When an injury or illness alters the circulation of CSF, one or more of the ventricles becomes enlarged as CSF accumulates. In an adult, the skull is rigid and cannot expand, so the pressure in the brain may increase profoundly. Hydrocephalus is a chronic condition.
How do you test for hydrocephalus?
Diagnosis of Hydrocephalus A diagnosis is made by using brain imaging techniques such as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and a thorough neurological evaluation during a doctor visit. More tests are often performed in adults in order to diagnose the condition.