Hydrocephalus does not have a definitive cure but can be controlled and treated with surgery or neuroendoscopy, depending on its cause, which may be congenital or due to hemorrhages or tumors, for example.
The treatment for hydrocephalus is usually guided by the neurologist and should be done as soon as possible, to avoid sequels such as delayed physical and mental development, for example.
Although childhood hydrocephalus is more frequent, it can also occur in adults or the elderly, and is called normal pressure hydrocephalus.
How to treat hydrocephalus
Treatment for infant hydrocephalus and normal pressure hydrocephalus can be done with:
- Bypass surgery: This involves placing a small tube in the brain with a valve that drains fluid accumulated to another area of the body, such as the abdomen or heart, preventing its reflux and facilitating its absorption into the bloodstream;
- Neuroendoscopy: the introduction of a thin device through a hole in the skull to relieve the pressure in the brain and circulate the CSF;
- Medications: such as Acetazolamide or Furosemide to reduce CSF production;
- Brain surgery: for removal of tumors if they are the cause of hydrocephalus, or of parts of the brain that are producing excess CSF or making drainage difficult.
Derivation surgery can also be done in the case of fetal or congenital hydrocephalus, which occurs in the fetus, from 24 weeks, bypassing the CSF to the amniotic fluid. At birth, the baby should undergo further surgery to divert fluid to another area of the body.
Although it is not yet possible to prevent hydrocephalus, mothers can avoid it by taking folic acid before and during pregnancy.
Treatment Complications
After the hydrocephalus bypass surgery, complications such as valve malfunction or tube obstruction may appear to drain the fluid. In most cases, other surgeries are necessary to change the system, adjust valve pressure or correct the obstruction, for example.
On the other hand, neuroendoscopy is also not a definitive treatment, since CSF may accumulate again in the brain, requiring more procedures.
In this way, it is important for the child, the adult or the elderly with hydrocephalus to have regular consultations with the neurologist to prevent these complications and treat them as soon as possible to avoid damage to the brain.
Consequences of hydrocephalus
The sequelae of hydrocephalus arise when the brain tissue is affected and the later the treatment is done. Thus, the child may have problems in his mental or motor development as difficulties in learning, reasoning, speech, memory, walking or controlling the urge to urinate or defecate, for example. In extreme cases, hydrocephalus can cause irreparable brain damage such as mental retardation or paralysis and even death.
In cases where the child has changes in their development, physical therapy is critical in the treatment to help the child become as independent as possible.
To learn more about the disease see Hydrocephalus.
