Cerebrospinal fluid is a water-like substance, it is produced by the tissues that line the ventricles of the brain, it flows through the spaces that surround the brain and spinal cord.
It fulfills the function of shock absorber, to prevent brain injury, removes waste from brain metabolism, and flows from cavity to cavity, in the brain and spine, to maintain a constant pressure and compensate for changes in blood pressure in the brain.
When cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the deep cavities of the brain (the ventricles) it can damage brain tissues and impair brain function. This is the pathology that neurosurgeons know as hydrocephalus.
Hydrocephalus is a disease that can appear at any age, with signs and symptoms that can vary according to the age group, but we list some of those that babies and older adults show or suffer, as they are the ones with the highest incidence:
In babies:
- Unusually large head
- Rapid increase in head size
- A soft, swollen, or stiff spot on the top of the head
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Irritability
- Difficulty feeding
- Seizures
- Difficulty breathing
- Eyes fixed down
- Poor response to touch
- Lack of will to move head.
In older adults
- Frequent urination and loss of bladder control.
- Loss of memory and other thinking and reasoning abilities.
- Shuffling or feeling of stuck feet.
- Poor coordination and balance control.
In the presence of any of the signs or symptoms mentioned, it is necessary to seek urgent medical attention, to diagnose if you are in the presence of a case of hydrocephalus.
Treatment may require surgery to drain excess fluid. Basically, we have two options for treatment:
1. Shunting
It consists of the implantation of a shunt, that is, of a silicone and plastic tube, which redirects the cerebrospinal fluid to another part of the body, such as the abdomen. In this way we are able to restore the ventricles to normal size.
2. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy
It consists of the practice of a small perforation in the wall of the third ventricle, with the help of an endoscope, to drain excess fluid, connecting affected ventricles to one of the normal cerebrospinal fluid spaces in the brain.
Since endoscopic ventriculostomy is not a suitable treatment for all people, the judgment of specialists in neurological surgery is necessary to determine the procedure to follow.
If you need a consultation with specialists in neurosurgery, do not hesitate to contact me. I am a specialized doctor, with extensive and proven experience in skull base surgery and other diseases of the neurological system.
