How to prevent hydrocephalus?

Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 03, 2024
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To prevent hydrocephalus, it is first recommended to cultivate good living habits, such as a diet low in salt and fat, and light in nature. Avoid eating overly greasy, spicy, and irritating foods. Additionally, engage in aerobic exercise daily, keeping it under 30 minutes, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of hydrocephalus. For patients with severe cranial trauma or serious central nervous system infections, toxic encephalopathy, etc., if the patient's condition is stable, a timely follow-up head CT scan should be conducted to dynamically observe changes in the patient’s condition. Furthermore, if some patients do not have clear contraindications for surgery, considering a lumbar puncture might be an option to maintain the fluid flow in the brain and prevent hydrocephalus.

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Causes of hydrocephalus

There are many causes of hydrocephalus, and it is important to make specific judgments based on the circumstances. In some infants, congenital hydrocephalus can be caused by intracranial birth injuries, which occur during the birth process and lead to intracranial hemorrhaging. It can also be due to congenital developmental abnormalities, such as anencephaly or spina bifida. In adults, hydrocephalus can be caused by intracranial tumors, such as choroid plexus papillomas, which overproduce cerebrospinal fluid. Others might develop hydrocephalus due to blockages caused by blood clots, such as cerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage. There are also cases where hydrocephalus can occur alongside chronic conditions like subdural hematoma or epidural hematoma, depending on the specific clinical presentations of the patients.

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Symptoms of hydrocephalus in children

For pediatric hydrocephalus, a range of specific symptoms and signs will appear. For instance, children may repeatedly complain of headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, accompanied by a strong sense of vertigo. Through physical examination, it can be found that the head circumference of the child is significantly larger than that of normal children, with the anterior fontanelle full and bulging. Special physical examinations may reveal the presence of a sunset sign or a cracked pot sound. In addition, some children may exhibit certain levels of cognitive dysfunction, lower intellectual development, significantly lagging behind peers, and they might also show instability in walking, swaying back and forth, prone to falling, or even experience urinary and fecal incontinence.

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How is hydrocephalus treated?

Hydrocephalus is caused by the continuous increase of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricular system of the brain. There are two types of hydrocephalus: obstructive hydrocephalus and communicating hydrocephalus, each with different treatment methods. Obstructive hydrocephalus is caused by obstructions such as tumors or blood clots, so removing tumors or clearing blood clots can relieve the obstruction and treat the hydrocephalus. On the other hand, communicating hydrocephalus usually has no obstruction; it is primarily caused by excessive production or insufficient absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. A common treatment is ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery, which diverts cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles to the abdominal cavity to treat hydrocephalus.

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Neurosurgery
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How to deal with hydrocephalus?

The treatment of hydrocephalus must clearly identify the severity of the condition. Hydrocephalus can be categorized into acute and chronic types. In cases of acute hydrocephalus, emergency ventricular puncture drainage surgery is required, otherwise, it may cause brain herniation leading to death. For chronic hydrocephalus, it is crucial to distinguish whether it is communicating hydrocephalus or obstructive hydrocephalus. For obstructive hydrocephalus, treatment options include creating a patency in the cerebral aqueduct and third ventriculostomy. For other types of hydrocephalus, ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery can be performed. Therefore, it is essential to clearly determine the type of hydrocephalus to fundamentally select the appropriate surgical methods and instruments.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
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Manifestations of Hydrocephalus

For hydrocephalus, it often manifests as noticeable enlargement of the ventricular system. Additionally, patients experience symptoms of increased intracranial pressure such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and dry heaves. Severe hydrocephalus can lead to significant increases in intracranial pressure, with patients suffering from severe headaches, dizziness, and even accompanied by papilledema, decreased vision, visual field defects, and optic atrophy. Furthermore, patients with hydrocephalus may exhibit significant cognitive dysfunction, characterized by reduced intelligence levels, diminished learning ability, computational skills, and memory loss. The physical motor functions of patients also gradually decline, presenting as unstable walking, a propensity to fall, and even possibly accompanied by urinary and fecal incontinence.