Hydrocephalus of the brain: meaning
Hydrocephalus is a disease in which the ventricles of the brain expand.
May be a complication of other diseases
- stroke
- brain tumor
- meningitis
- encephalitis
- developmental abnormalities of the nervous system
- traumatic brain injury
Clinical signs
- headache (often throbbing)
- dizziness
- nausea
- vomiting
- visual impairment
- mental and behavioral disorders
- unsteadiness when walking
- impaired consciousness, with rapidly progressing hydrocephalus up to coma
- respiratory distress
- cardiac dysfunction
In the absence of timely treatment, all this leads to the death of the patient. Acute form of hydrocephalus requires urgent surgical treatment.
Installation of intraventricular drainage
In the case of a rapidly progressive or fulminant form of this disease, external ventricular (intraventricular) drainage is installed.
During the operation, a thin soft tube is inserted into the lateral ventricle of the brain through a small milling hole in the skull, which is connected to a sterile system and the excess accumulated fluid is drained through it.
Conservative treatment of hydrocephalus
Medicines
Unfortunately, at this time there is no effective conservative treatment for progressive hydrocephalus .
Recommended medications:
- diuretic herbs,
- diacarb,
- strophanthin
can only temporarily slow down the increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the cranial cavity.
These medications are used in the initial stages of the disease to reduce intracranial pressure, being purely symptomatic agents that allow to compensate for the patient’s condition.
Antiviral therapy
In cases where the development of hydrocephalus is associated with infectious diseases of the nervous system , specific antibacterial or antiviral therapy is used, depending on the causative agent of the disease.
Surgical intervention
If, despite conservative medical treatment, hydrocephalus does not stabilize or worsens within several weeks, surgical treatment is indicated.
