Hydrocephalus Too Much Water on the Brain

Title:
Hydrocephalus: Too Much Water on the Brain
Word Count:
1169

Summary:
Hydrocephalus is a treatable cause of chronic confusion in older adults. However, the treatmen

Keywords:
hydrocephalus,normal pressure,internal,external,obstructive,shunt,dementia,confusion,incontine

Article Body:
It can be surprising to realize that an organ as high-powered and sophisticated as the brain a

The plumbing system in question is that which produces and drains the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF

But blockages along the way can interfere with the normal flow of the CSF. For example, when t

Both cases are examples of hydrocephalus, or water on the brain. The first case is one of "int

Hydrocephalus of one kind or another is especially prevalent at the two extremes of the life c


CT and MRI scans are sensitive tools in detecting hydrocephalus, particularly when it’s striki

The success or failure of shunting depends not just on the skill of the surgeon, but also on t

Who, then, should receive a shunt? The answer, in short, is people for whom the benefits of th
substantial enlargement of all four ventricles
a full "triad" of symptoms, including confusion, urinary incontinence and altered walking<
poor walking as the first of the three symptoms
temporary improvement of symptoms after drainage of 50-60 milliliters (2 ounces) of CSF by
The elderly patients most at risk for NPH are also at increased risk for other diseases, and t

So it’s important for the doctor to determine if other diseases might be to blame for the very

Cases in which expected benefits of the operation are much greater than risks, or in which the
(C) 2006 by Gary Cordingley

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