Hydrocephalus can it be cured

Not everyone is a candidate for ETV treatment. The third treatment option involves the addition of choroid plexus cauterization CPC with ETV as a treatment primarily in children under 2. Is Hydrocephalus Treatable? The HCRN conducts multiple, simultaneous studies at its centers and maintains a substantial registry of patients and procedures. Cellular mechanisms Hydrocephalus is a relatively common developmental abnormality, but its underlying mechanisms are not well understood.

NINDS supports a wide range of studies that explore the complex mechanisms of normal and abnormal brain development. For example, NINDS-funded researchers are trying to find gene mutations associated with congenital hydrocephalus. NINDS also supports research exploring how hydrocephalus affects brain nerve networks and brain function. The early stages of brain development play an important but understudied role in the development of hydrocephalus.

NINDS-funded researchers are investigating how signals in the amniotic fluid and early CSF instruct neural stem cell behavior during the pivotal early stages of brain development. This research will help scientists better understand and diagnose disorders like congenital hydrocephalus. Other NINDS-funded researchers are examining the cellular mechanisms involved in hydrocephalus in order to help identify hydrocephalus risk factors. The results will potentially improve diagnosis, genetic risk assessment, and treatment.

Diagnosis and treatment Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus may account for more than 5 percent of all cases of dementia. Unlike most other causes of dementia, NPH can sometimes be reversed with treatment. However, not all surgeries are successful, and researchers do not know why some people respond to treatment and others do not.

NINDS-funded researchers are developing new imaging methods to help physicians determine whether shunt surgery is likely to improve the cognitive and motor difficulties that often accompany NPH. Shunts are the standard treatment of hydrocephalus, but shunts can malfunction, and repeated surgery may be needed.

The rate of malfunction of shunts in children is estimated to be 40 percent in the first year after placement, and 10 percent per year after that. Current methods for diagnosing shunt malfunctions are often invasive and expensive. To help solve this problem, NINDS-funded researchers are working to develop a safe, cost-effective method for diagnosing shunt malfunctions using ultrasound. Not only do shunts malfunction, they also carry a high risk of infection. NINDS-funded scientists are attempting to identify and describe all the microorganisms present in CSF when shunts are placed, revised, and infected in order to improve prevention and treatment of CSF shunt infection.

Box Bethesda, MD Read more about the complications of surgery for hydrocephalus. In the past, hydrocephalus was referred to as "water on the brain". However, the brain is not surrounded by water but by a fluid called cerebrospinal fluid CSF. The brain constantly produces new CSF about a pint a day , while old fluid is released from the brain and absorbed into the blood vessels.

But if this process is interrupted, the amount of CSF can quickly build up, cause pressure in the brain. If you have a child with hydrocephalus, or if you've been diagnosed with the condition yourself, you may find it helpful to speak to other people affected by hydrocephalus. Shine, the spina bifida and hydrocephalus charity, can provide you with the details of local support groups and organisations.

You can find and contact your regional Shine team or read about support for carers on the Shine website. Page last reviewed: 21 January Next review due: 21 January If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal. Symptoms of hydrocephalus The damage to the brain from hydrocephalus can cause a wide range of symptoms, including: headache being sick blurred vision difficulty walking Different types of hydrocephalus can cause specific symptoms.

The long-term results of ETV are similar to those for a shunt operation. As with shunts, there's a risk of a blockage happening months or years after surgery, which will cause your symptoms to return. Normal pressure hydrocephalus NPH , which usually affects older people, can sometimes be treated with a shunt.

However, not everyone with NPH will benefit from shunt surgery. As there's a risk of complications with shunt surgery, you'll need tests to assess whether the potential benefits of surgery outweigh the risks. Lumbar drainage or a lumbar infusion test, or both, can be used to find out if shunt surgery will benefit you.

Find out about these tests on our page about diagnosing hydrocephalus. Page last reviewed: 21 January Next review due: 21 January Hydrocephalus excess fluid in the brain is treated with surgery.

If hydrocephalus is not treated, the increase in pressure will cause brain damage.