Hydrocephalus
A condition of cerebrospinal fluid buildup causing skull pressure.
Hydrocephalus is a medical condition characterized by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within or around the brain, leading to increased pressure inside the skull. It has been recognized for over 2,000 years, with descriptions dating back to Hippocrates, and the term derives from the Greek words for 'water' and 'head.' The condition can affect individuals of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, and is classified into types such as communicating, noncommunicating, ex vacuo, and normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Quick Facts
- Field
- neurosurgery
- Pronounce
- ˌ · h · aɪ · d · r · əʊ · ˈ · s · ɛ · f · ə · l · ə · s
- Symptoms
- Babies: rapid head growth, vomiting, sleepiness, seizures / Older people: Headaches, double vision, poor balance, urinary incontinence, personality changes, mental impairment
- Causes
- Neural tube defects, meningitis, brain tumors, traumatic brain injury, brain bleed during birth, intraventricular hemorrhage
- Risks
- Smoking
- Diagnosis
- Based on symptoms and medical imaging
- Treatment
- Surgery
- Prognosis
- Variable, often normal life
- Frequency
- Varies throughout the world, from 1 per 256 live births to 1 per 9,000, depending on access to prenatal health care, prenatal tests, and abortion
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hydrocephalus can occur due to birth defects (primary) or develop later in life (secondary). In infants, the open fontanelles allow the skull to visibly enlarge, leading to symptoms such as rapid head growth, bulging fontanelles, seizures, and downward-pointing eyes ('sunset eyes'). Older children and adults may experience headaches, nausea, vision problems, and cognitive or motor impairments. Normal pressure hydrocephalus in the elderly presents with a classic triad of gait instability, urinary incontinence, and dementia.
Reader's Guide
Hydrocephalus is typically treated through surgery, most commonly by placing a shunt system to drain excess CSF. In recent decades, endoscopic third ventriculostomy has become an alternative for certain patients. Outcomes vary, and many individuals with shunts lead normal lives, though complications such as infection or breakage can occur, with a high risk of shunt failure in children. Without treatment, permanent disability or death may result. Diagnosis relies on physical examination and medical imaging like CT scans. The condition's recognition since ancient times underscores its long-standing impact on human health.
Did You Know?
- Hydrocephalus affects about 0.1–0.6% of newborns.
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus may affect up to 6% of people over 80.
- The word hydrocephalus comes from Greek words meaning 'water' and 'head'.
- Hippocrates described hydrocephalus over 2,000 years ago.
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