I created this site after realising that detailed content on this condition is extremely hard to come by on the internet. My intent was to present the user with in-depth information covering all aspects of hydrocephalus.
The condition can be defined as follows:
Hydrocephalus: The term is derived from two Greek words which mean 'water' and 'head'. It is a neurological condition in which there is an abnormal increase in the amount of fluid in the ventricles of the brain. This is most commonly due to a blockage of the fluids normal flow as a result of an underlying condition.
Hydrocephalus can be communicating or non-communicating. The former is when the fluid can pass freely between the ventricles of the brain, and the excess pressure is due an imbalance between the production and re-absorption of the fluid. In non-communicating the pressure increase is caused by an obstruction between the ventricles.
If it is not treated, hydrocephalus causes compression of the brain and damage to the neural tissue. This damage can lead to a wide variety of problems, such as headaches, memory difficulties, visual problems, nausea, or trouble walking. Hydrocephalus is one of the most frequently seen problems in paediatric neurosurgical practice.
I have tried to ensure that the information on this page is as correct as possible. I am not a doctor but, since I have hydrocephalus, I have read a fair bit about the condition. If anyone finds any of the hydrocephalus information on this page to be incorrect, please let me know since I do not want to misinform people.
This site does not contain information regarding the success rates of treatments. I have not included data on this subject for the following reasons:
I have also not included my sources. When I first began gathering hydrocephalus information I had no intention of writing about it and therefore I did not keep a list of the books that I read.