Hydrocephalus involves the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.
Hydrocephalus is a medical condition that involves dilation outside the normal parameters of the ventricles of the brain due to an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid . The brain, in turn, is made up of a set of organs that make up the nervous system of vertebrate beings and are located in the internal cavity of the skull.
In Greek is where we can find the etymological origin of hydrocephalus. A term that is the result of the union of three clearly differentiated "particles": hydro which means " water ", kephale which can be translated as "head" and the suffix -ia which is defined as "quality".
In the past, hydrocephalus was an abnormality known as “water on the brain ,” although that substance is actually not water but cerebrospinal fluid . It is a clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. When this fluid accumulates excessively, it causes an atypical dilation of the regions of the brain called ventricles , a fact that is potentially harmful to brain tissues.
Origin and symptoms of hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus can be of congenital origin (it is already present in the newborn child and can arise due to environmental influences or inheritance ) or be acquired (it develops during the first hours of life or later, since it can manifest itself in people of all ages as a consequence of an injury or illness ).
There are several symptoms indicative of suffering from this disease and these vary depending on the age of the person in question. Thus, for example, in children the most common thing is that this is translated through an increase in the size of the head. However, along with this, everything from vomiting to seizures to insomnia or irritability can also occur in the child.
In older people, however, the most common symptoms they suffer are headaches, blurred vision, balance problems, drowsiness, memory loss, irritability , vomiting, urinary incontinence or even various changes in their personality.
Problems with balance and memory, vomiting and headache are some of the symptoms of hydrocephalus in adults.
Classification according to type
On the other hand, it is important to keep in mind that there are different types of hydrocephalus. The so-called communicating hydrocephalus , for example, is one that develops when there is a blockage of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid after its exit from the ventricles to the subarachnoid space. It is defined as communicating because the cerebrospinal fluid still manages to move between the ventricles, which remain open.
Non-communicating hydrocephalus , also called by specialists as obstructive hydrocephalus, is a condition that occurs when there is a blockage of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in one or more of the narrow pathways that join the ventricles. One of the most common reasons for this type of hydrocephalus is aquaductal stenosis.
Treatment of hydrocephalus
The most common current treatment to deal with hydrocephalus requires surgical intervention . And what the surgeon must carry out is the implantation in the patient's head of what is called a bypass system . What this will do is divert the aforementioned flow of cerebrospinal fluid away from the central nervous system, it will divert it to another area where it can be absorbed within the normal circulatory flow.
This intervention is very complicated and is not free of possible errors. But, of course, it is the most effective technique so far.