June 14, 2008 Just what is Hydrocephalus.

Hydrocephalus comes from Greek words: hydro means water, cephalus means head. Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of fluid—cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF—within cavities called ventricles inside the brain. This condition may occur at any age. CSF is produced in the ventricles, circulates through the ventricular system in the brain and is absorbed into the bloodstream. CSF is in constant circulation and has many functions. It surrounds the brain and spinal cord and acts as a protective cushion against injury. CSF contains nutrients and proteins that are needed for the nourishment and normal function of the brain. It carries waste products away from surrounding tissues. Hydrocephalus occurs when there is an imbalance between the amount of CSF that is produced and the rate at which it is absorbed. As the CSF builds up, it causes the ventricles to enlarge and the pressure inside the head to increase.

In case your are new to the site I have Hydrocephalus, there is no cure for this only treatment.

Some patients can be treated with an alternative procedure called an Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (often referred to as an ETV, Third Ventriculostomy, or Third Vent). For this operation, a tiny burr hole is made in the skull and a neuroendoscope (a small camera which is attached to medical instrument) is utilized to enter the brain. The physician will then make a small hole (several millimeters) in the floor of the third ventricle. This allows the CSF to flow from the blocked ventricles into the open spaces surrounding the brain.
If the operation is successful, it will eliminate the need for a shunt. However, not everyone with hydrocephalus can qualify for this type of operation. It is also meant for patients older that 6 months of age, and many physicians prefer that the patient is older than 2 or 3 years of age.
Although a Third Ventriculostomy eliminates the need for a shunt, it is by no means a cure for hydrocephalus.

Either in the shunt implantation or a revision, there is a very small chance of a complication occurring.
Hydrocephalus is a life-long conditions. There will be revisions from time-to-time.
Hydrocephalus is most often treated with a  shunt . This system diverts the flow of the fluid to another area of the body where it can be absorbed as part of the normal circulatory process.

A shunt is a flexible but sturdy plastic tube. A shunt system consists of the shunt, a catheter, and a valve. One end of the catheter is placed within a ventricle inside the brain or in the CSF outside the spinal cord. The other end of the catheter is commonly placed within the abdominal cavity, but may also be placed at other sites in the body such as a chamber of the heart or areas around the lung where the CSF can drain and be absorbed. A valve located along the catheter maintains one-way flow and regulates the rate of CSF flow.

Some people get a ETV which I have had done. In this procedure,  a small camera that uses fiber optic technology to visualize small and difficult to reach surgical areas - allows a doctor to view the ventricular surface. Once the scope is guided into position, a small tool makes a tiny hole in the floor of the third ventricle, which allows the CSF to bypass the obstruction and flow toward the site of resorption around the surface of the brain.