Is hydrocephalus considered life threatening?

Is hydrocephalus considered life threatening?

Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid in the brain. The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it. If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal.

Is fluid on the brain serious?

Brain damage can occur as a result of the fluid buildup. This can lead to developmental, physical, and intellectual impairments. It requires treatment to prevent serious complications. Hydrocephalus mainly occurs in children and adults over 60, but younger adults can get it too.

Can hydrocephalus cause death?

Left untreated, hydrocephalus can cause severe disability, even death. Hydrocephalus occurs when excessive cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain.

Can fluid on the brain be cured?

Hydrocephalus is a chronic condition. It can be controlled, but usually not cured. With appropriate early treatment, however, many people with hydrocephalus lead normal lives with few limitations. Hydrocephalus can occur at any age, but is most common in infants and adults age 60 and older.

What should I watch after shunt surgery?

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• You feel new bumps on your head 3 to 5 days after surgery or the bumps get bigger after 2 weeks.
• There is redness or swelling along the shunt.
• You have trouble thinking clearly.
• You have a fever with a stiff neck or a severe headache.
• Your incision comes open.

Do they shave your head for shunt surgery?

Your VP shunt surgery will take place in the operating room while you’re asleep. The surgery will take about 1 hour. Once you’re asleep, the doctor will shave off some hair near the area where they’ll make the incision (surgical cut) on your head. Your entire head won’t be shaved.

What is the medical term for pertaining to water on the brain?

Water on the brain: Known medically as ” hydrocephalus “, this is an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. The fluid is often under increased pressure and can compress and damage the brain. Hydrocephalus can arise before birth or any time afterward.

What is the treatment for water on the brain?

It is not possible to cure water on the brain, but the condition can be treated. Treatment involves inserting a shunt into the brain to provide a drainage method. The shunt is a flexible plastic tube which drains to another portion of the body which can reabsorb and eventually express the cerebrospinal fluid.

How do you drain fluid from the brain?

Surgery for hydrocephalus often means implanting a shunt, a small tube that drains the excess fluid from the brain to another spot in the body for reabsorption. A device called a ventriculoperitoneal shunt drains the excess CSF from the brain to the abdominal cavity.

What is the treatment for fluid on the brain?

Treating Fluid on the Brain. The treatments for fluid on the brain will differ from person to person depending on the cause. The most common treatment is the surgical insertion of a shunt that allows the CSF to flow to a different area of the body and become absorbed by the circulatory system.