In part one of "What is hydrocephalus?" I discussed what it is and what causes it, today I will look at how it effects those with the condition (and how it is treated) as well as what is being done to combat it.
III. What are the effects of hydrocephalus and how is it treated?
What effect does hydrocephalus have on the body? The most notable is an increase in pressure -- not only in the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF), but also by the heart which has to work harder in order to deliver blood to the brain. If the CSF pressure continues to rise, it will eventually interfere with blood supply to the brain thus depriving it of both oxygen and glucose which is needed in constant amounts in order to maintain functionality of the brain. Initially this results in tiredness, irritability, and drowsiness; left untreated, however, the patient soon looses conciousness as the brain begins to shut down.
The immediate effects of this interference with blood supply will disappear if CSF pressure is returned to normal either by means of insertion of a ventricular tap (pictured at right) or insertion of a shunt (pictured at right). In most cases, however, the diminished blood supply has been going on unnoticed for sometime before a diagnosis of hydrocephalus is made. This results in a "dying back" of the very fine blood vessels located in the brain. Without treatment the "dying back" continues resulting in the progressive damage to nerve cells in the brain which will result in their eventual destruction.
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Ventricular tap |
The immediate effects of this interference with blood supply will disappear if CSF pressure is returned to normal either by means of insertion of a ventricular tap (pictured at right) or insertion of a shunt (pictured at right). In most cases, however, the diminished blood supply has been going on unnoticed for sometime before a diagnosis of hydrocephalus is made. This results in a "dying back" of the very fine blood vessels located in the brain. Without treatment the "dying back" continues resulting in the progressive damage to nerve cells in the brain which will result in their eventual destruction.
Currently, there is no known way (emphasis added) to either prevent or cure hydrocephalus. As I alluded to yesterday, the most effective treatment involves the surgical insertion of a shunt such as the ventricular-peritoneal pictured above. The shunt is flexible tube (typically made of silicone or similar material) inserted into the ventricular system of the brain to divert the flow of into another region of the body such as the peritoneal cavity which is located in the abdominal wall. A valve within the shunt maintains CSF at a normal pressure within the ventricles.
IV. What is being done to combat hydrocephalus?
As much as it pains me to say this, not much. Despite the fact that it is a MAJOR (emphasis added) public health burden affecting an estimated 1,000,000 people, very little public (or private) investment is made into understanding hydrocephalus or improving the outcome for those affected by the condition.
IV. What is being done to combat hydrocephalus?
As much as it pains me to say this, not much. Despite the fact that it is a MAJOR (emphasis added) public health burden affecting an estimated 1,000,000 people, very little public (or private) investment is made into understanding hydrocephalus or improving the outcome for those affected by the condition.
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