Why would a doctor do a spinal tap?
A lumbar puncture can help diagnose serious infections, such as meningitis; other disorders of the central nervous system, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome and multiple sclerosis; or cancers of the brain or spinal cord.
How long does it take for spinal fluid to regenerate after a spinal tap?
The CSF is continually produced, and all of it is replaced every six to eight hours.
What does a big head on ultrasound mean?
The simple definition of the word macrocephaly is “large head.” Doctors apply that diagnosis when a baby’s head size is in the 98th percentile. This means that the baby’s head is bigger than 98% percent of other babies of the same age. Sometimes, doctors detect macrocephaly during an ultrasound before the baby is born.
How common is benign external hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus is a relatively common neuropediatric condition, with an incidence of about 0.9 per 1,000 births [106, 170]. It is defined as the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the ventricles and/or subarachnoid spaces, leading to an increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) [77].
What causes benign enlargement of the subarachnoid space?
About 2% of normal population has macrocephaly (1, 2). The causes of a large head include hydrocephalus (an excess volume of CSF intracranially), megalencephaly (enlargement of the brain), thickening of the skull and hemorrhage or non-bloody fluid into the subdural or epidural spaces (1, 2).
What is benign Macrocrania?
Benign macrocephaly–also known as macrocrania or megacephaly–is hereditary and most likely autosomal dominant. 2. The condition of external hydrocephalus and macrocephaly usually stabilizes in the second to third year of life; the head circumference is generally around the 98th percentile by age 3 years.
How is Macrocephaly treated?
Children with benign macrocephaly won’t need any treatment. For all the other many different conditions that can cause macrocephaly medical management will vary. Help with managing specific symptoms is available as is surgery when indicated.
How is Macrocephaly diagnosed?
Macrocephaly can be normal or caused by genetic disorders or other disorders. Diagnosis is made before birth through routine ultrasound tests or after birth by measuring the head circumference. Doctors usually do imaging tests to look for brain abnormalities and sometimes blood tests to look for a cause.
What does Macrocephaly mean?
Macrocephaly refers to a head circumference (the measurement around the widest part of the head) that is greater than the 98th percentile on the growth chart. Primary care physicians may refer to the pediatric neurosurgeon based on your child’s increasing head circumference.