Hydrocephalus Research Paper

Hydrocephalus is one of the common birth defects that affect the brain development; it affects 2 of every 1000 births in the US (NIH, 2005). The term hydrocephalus comes from the Greek words; hydro means water and cephalus means head, as the name implies, the primary characteristic of this disorder is the excessive accumulation of CSF or cerebrospinal fluid in the brain (Piatt,2011), the cerebrospinal fluid is the colorless fluid that bathes the brain and the spinal cord, the excessive accumulation of this fluid can lead to an abnormal widening of the ventricles of the brain, and this widening can cause pressure on tissues of the brain (NIH, 2005). The ventricular system of the brain consists of four ventricles and narrow passages between

communicating hydrocephalus occurs when the flow of the CSF in blocked after it passes and exits between the ventricles, in this type the CSF can still pass between the ventricles and that is why it is called communicating hydrocephalus. The non-communicating hydrocephalus is also called "obstructive" hydrocephalus, it occurs when the flow of the CSF is blocked in one or more of the narrow passages between the ventricles (NIH, 2005), one of the most common causes of hydrocephalus is the narrowing of a small passage connecting the third and fourth ventricles in the middle of the brain, the passage is called aqueduct of Sylvius and the narrowing of it is called aqueductal stenosis. In addition to these types, there are two forms that do not exactly fit in the categories and they mostly affect adults: hydrocephalus ex-vacuo and Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) (Piatt,

In infants, the sutures that connect the bones of skull are still open, that is why their skulls can expand to accommodate the buildup of CSF. The symptoms of hydrocephalus in a baby may include a rapid increase in head circumference and abnormally shaped head, bulging at the soft spots, swollen veins, vomiting and downward cast of the eyes. Adults and older children may experience symptoms that differ from the ones mentioned above because of their skulls; symptoms may include nausea, sleepiness, double or blurred vision, difficulties with motor skills and balance, mental impairment and seizures (NIH, 2005). Some types of hydrocephalus are misdiagnosed and not properly treated; Doctors may use different tests including brain scans such as computed tomography, neuropsychological tests, magnetic resonance imaging, a spinal tap or lumbar catheter, in order to help them accurately diagnose hydrocephalus. A doctor selects the appropriate diagnostic tool based on the age of the patient, the overall health and the presence of other known abnormalities (Piatt, 2011). The most standard thing to do in order to treat hydrocephalus is to surgically insert a shunt system. The shunt system changes the course of the flow of the CSF to a different area in the body, where it can be absorbed normally into the circulatory