What is hydrocephalus of the brain, why is the diagnosis dangerous? Hydrocephalus of the brain in an adult: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

The name "hydrocephalus" (another official name is hydrocephalus) speaks for itself: it is characterized by the appearance of excessive amounts of "water", or cerebrospinal fluid, in one or more ventricles of the human brain.

Normally, the human brain has no a large number of this fluid, but dropsy begins when the drainage is disrupted, or blockage. This disease is dangerous because excess fluid accumulates between the brain and the walls of the skull, putting pressure on the soft tissue of the brain, which leads to its damage and severe cases may result in death.

Brain fluid, its functions and localization

To understand what hydrocephalus is, you will need short excursion into the structure of the brain.

Cerebrospinal fluid, also called cerebrospinal fluid, healthy person washes the gray and white matter of the brain and spinal cord. Its functions are to protect and nourish brain tissue. From the outer part of the brain surface, cerebrospinal fluid moves between choroid And soft tissues, in a special space called subarachnoid, along the surface (cloak) of the cerebral cortex.

At the bottom of the skull, under the lower part of the brain, there are special cavities - tanks where cerebrospinal fluid accumulates. They are connected to each other and to the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord. The main part of the liquor is contained in the cerebral ventricles, located in the cerebral hemispheres, and in the middle, along midline brain Through a narrow channel in medulla oblongata communication occurs with the fourth ventricle.

Dropsy of the brain can be congenital or developed throughout life. The prognosis depends on how quickly and accurately the diagnosis is made and treatment is started. The condition may be aggravated concomitant diseases(for example, mental disorders).

Treatment of the disease in question is a difficult task. There is not a single medicine that can effectively fight this disease alone, so conservative methods can only be used in combination. Surgical intervention is considered more effective means in the fight against hydrocephalus.

When is drug treatment for dropsy of the brain sufficient?

Cure with this method is likely to be 40-45%. Not uncommon phenomena mental retardation, unstable psyche with overall positive results in eliminating dropsy of the brain. Individually selected variations conservative treatment they cannot always solve the issue of psychomotor development, so doctors resort to more drastic measures in such cases. The key goal when trying to treat the disease in question non-surgically is to reduce the level of intracranial pressure and eliminate inflammation. Eliminate hydrocephalus through conservative methods realistically in such cases:

This disease is diagnosed at the initial stage and is not characterized by a progressive onset. This does not include occlusive hydrocephalus: this type of disease is rare, but it can only be eliminated through surgery;
the disease is going through acute stage. This applies to those cases where there was meningitis: a strong inflammatory process. This phenomenon should be combated with the help of antibiotics and absorbable drugs;
dropsy of the brain is accompanied by serious errors in the aspect of the mental, neuralgic state, which are caused by the influence of bacteria.

Conservative treatment for the disease in question includes the following drugs, procedures:

diuretics. Needed to inhibit the production of cerebrospinal fluid. Doctors often use injections of diacarb, glycerol, and piracetam, the number of which should not exceed 12 in one course. Because this drug favors the excretion of sodium, magnesium, potassium, medications are administered in parallel, which prevents the development of a deficiency of these microelements. Such medications include Asparkam, magnesium sulfate;
antibiotic therapy: rovamacin, hexicon. At certain stages of pregnancy, depending on the reasons that provoked the visualization of cerebral hydrops in the fetus, treatment with these anti-infective drugs is possible;
medications that help stabilize the structure blood vessels (tinctures medicinal herbs), improving blood flow in the brain;
vitamin therapy. This applies to vitamins B, C, E. Thanks to them, metabolic processes in the microcells of the brain improve;
absorbable medications. Enzymes of animal origin are popular, which promote the breakdown and removal of fluid from the body: lidase, pyrogenal;
physiotherapy , which consists in the use of electrophoresis, treatment with heat and water. Such methods are relevant at the stage when the disease has stabilized;
physiotherapy. It is practiced to accelerate the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, to improve psychological development young patients. Such exercises must be carried out by a specialist. For adult patients, when diagnosing hydrocephalus, massages, acupuncture, manual therapy: this helps relieve muscle spasms, improve blood flow, and temporarily relieve pain. Doctors recommend that people who have been/are being treated for the disease in question attend yoga classes, gymnastics;
gluticorticoid therapy. Apply as extreme case. Very rarely do doctors practice X-ray treatment: the number of procedures cannot exceed 5-6.

Modern methods of surgical treatment of hydrocephalus - indications for surgery, results

This method of eliminating cerebral hydrocele is used in the following cases:

the disease in question is in a state of active progression;
attempts at conservative treatment have failed;
conservative treatment was fruitful in terms of stabilizing the disease, but the patient’s psychomotor skills do not develop;
when diagnosing closed hydrocephalus, regardless of the patient’s age.

If there is a strong inflammatory process in the patient’s brain, there is a total infection of the entire body, and surgery is prohibited. Initially, it is necessary to eliminate foci of infection using anti-infective drugs. Inflammatory phenomena in the body and taking antibiotics are a temporary reprieve from surgical intervention. In this case, medications cannot provide a cure for hydrocephalus.

Surgical intervention for hydrocephalus involves the formation of optional pathways through which accumulated fluid can leave the cranium. This surgical procedure is called bypass surgery. For adult patients, if there is a cause for such an illness (tumors, adhesions), it must first be eliminated, then shunting should be performed. There are several systems that are used for such maneuvering, the most common of which are ventriculoperitoneal and lumboperitoneal shunts.

The operations that are practiced to remove cerebral hydrocele can be divided into 2 groups:

Palliative. This intervention is carried out in several cases:

In the presence of open hydrocele of the brain - spinal and ventricular puncture is performed;
in the closed form, acute course of this disease, palliative surgery can be prescribed if radical intervention is unacceptable. This treatment measure is temporary and involves taking up to 100 ml of fluid from the brain ventricle. If closed hydrocephalus has reached its peak, and apply radical surgery prohibited - temporary drainage of the frontal ventricle of the brain is carried out by introducing a silicone tube. The latter is connected to the drainage system;
For small patients, puncture through the eye socket is used. By puncturing the front side lateral ventricle the outflow of fluid into one of the layers of the organs of vision is ensured.

Radical. There are two types according to the scope of application:

Internal drainage facilitates the removal of fluid to another system of the body. This procedure can be of several varieties:

operations for a certain form of the disease in question:

Often, surgical treatment of this disease has beneficial consequences - the patient recovers. If it happens malignant tumor, which caused dropsy of the brain, such manipulations will help prolong the life of the person operated on by an average of 4-5 years.

After surgical treatment, exacerbations may occur:

the lumen of the drainage tube becomes clogged, as a result of which the outflow of fluid will be stopped;
inflammatory processes;
releasing the tube from the cavity where the outflow of fluid was ensured: abdominal cavity, heart;

To minimize such consequences, you should immediately consult a doctor at the slightest discomfort.

Possible complications and consequences of hydrocephalus - prognosis for life

If measures to eliminate the disease in question are not taken in a timely manner, the consequences can manifest as serious errors in the functioning of the brain, and the risk of death is quite high.

The consequences of this disease will depend on several factors:

degree of development of hydrocephalus. On late stages detection, treatment of the disease may be unfruitful, which can lead to loss of legal capacity/death;
time from the onset of the disease to the start of its treatment. If the disease was detected at the stage of active progression, there is a high probability that mental condition the patient will not be restored. For newborns hydrocephalus moderate severity may be fraught with developmental retardation, idiocy;
relevance of the selected treatment method;
Availability additional diseases, which are often combined with hydrocephalus.

If hydrocephalus was diagnosed on early stage, the treatment was chosen correctly, the likelihood of complete relief from this disease is high, the risk of consequences in the future is negligible.

Regarding the influence of the disease in question on the mental development of children, there are statistics according to which about 35% of small patients who suffered hydrocephalus had errors in the aspect of speech. In 23% of cases, aggression is not observed in such patients, but the ability to show positive emotions(joy, happiness) is limited. Reaction to basic questions may be slow. Surgical treatment of patients in the later stages of progression of cerebral hydrops negatively affects psychomotor skills in the future, but cases of full-fledged mental development took place.

In terms of behavior with others, in 90% of cases, children are friendly and get along well with their peers. In other cases, depression, a gloomy mood, and cruelty are noted.

When intracranial pressure surges, confusion and psychosis can occur.

Hydrocephalus of the brain, which occurs more as a complication of another disease than as an independent pathology. The disease occurs due to the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a person’s head.

The disease can occur as a complication of the following diseases:

Stroke;
Traumatic brain injury;
Tumor, hemorrhage.

The disease hydrocephalus is quite difficult to diagnose, as a result of which, in rare cases, even death is possible. Therefore, a particularly careful examination is required qualified doctor to avoid possible consequences.

Most often, this disease, but also develops in adults. On this moment studies show that almost any disorder of the central nervous system can provoke hydrocephalus.

Some of the most common causes of cerebral hydrocephalus in adults are:

Previous ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke;
Congenital hydrocephalus
Neoplasms (tumor);
Infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis);
Vascular pathology;
Alcoholic, toxic and other encephalopathies;
Intraventricular hemorrhages. Moreover, it does not matter whether the hemorrhage was caused by injury or not;
Disorders of the central nervous system.

Classification

In medicine, there are 2 types of hydrocephalus - congenital and acquired. Congenital pathology brain is more common in children. Acquired pathology occurs in adults and is classified into 4 types, depending on the method of onset and development of the disease.

These are the following types:

External or open hydrocephalus.

This type of disease occurs due to excess cerebrospinal fluid in the SAH. However, it is worth highlighting that the cerebrospinal fluid is normal. The reasons for the development of this form are atherosclerosis, hypertension and traumatic brain injury.

This form characterized by the absence of various symptoms, namely symptoms such as headache or increased blood pressure. It should also be noted that in this case, latent hydrocephalus often develops, as a result of which the volume of the brain can noticeably decrease, and the free space can be filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Internal or closed .

This type of hydrocephalus is similar to the previous type, but in this case a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid is observed just inside the ventricles. The cause of the non-occlusive form is blockage of the cerebrospinal fluid pathways as a result of inflammatory adhesive process, also the cause may be intraventricular hemorrhage or tumor. In case of any injury or blockage of the interventricular duct, asymmetrical hydrocephalus of the brain may occur. ventricles causes the death of brain tissue, leading to flattening of the convolutions.

Mixed.

From the name it becomes clear that cerebrospinal fluid fills both the ventricle of the brain and the subarachnoid space. Occurs more often in older people as a result of lack of stability cervical vertebrae, hypertension and atherosclerosis.

Hypersecretory . Occurs due to excess cerebrospinal fluid.

It is worth summarizing that excess accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid occurs for two main reasons: an imbalance in the formation of absorption and a disturbance in fluid circulation. Under conditions of normally produced cerebrospinal fluid, less absorption occurs. Thus, these two factors are the leading sources of the development of hydrocephalus. It is also worth noting that a form such as atrophic hydrocephalus of the brain most often occurs without signs of increased intracranial pressure and is detected only with additional examination of the patient.

Symptoms of acute and chronic forms of the disease

For acute form The disease is characterized by the symptoms of the underlying disease, against the background of which hydrocephalus manifested itself.

The acute form has the following symptoms of the disease:

Headache. Most acute pain symptoms manifest themselves in morning time, which is a consequence of increased intracranial pressure during sleep;
Sleep disorders, or to be more precise, constant drowsiness. This disorder indicates that focal neurological symptoms will begin to appear in the near future;
Dizziness, accompanied by nausea and subsequent vomiting;
Pathology of the eyes and optic nerves;
Cognitive impairment (speech dysfunction, memory impairment);
Sharp depression of consciousness, of cardio-vascular system and breathing, which cannot lead to human death.

Chronic hydrocephalus often occurs with mild increased intracranial pressure. This form appears gradually, usually after several months, and the symptoms compared with acute course, has significant differences.

The chronic form has the following symptoms of the disease:

Dementia. With this disease, a person experiences a persistent decrease in cognitive activity, with partial or complete loss of previously acquired knowledge. There is also a lack of skills for further learning and independent maintenance.
Apraxia of walking, in which a person is unable to make any target movements, for example, riding a bicycle. When walking, a person seems to sway, instability appears, and the gait slows down. On last stage, a person cannot stand or even sit.
Frequent urination, especially at night. As the disease progresses, urinary incontinence occurs.

Clinical symptoms of hydrocephalus are quite easy to detect; even during the first examination of the patient, a specialist can diagnose accurate diagnosis. To determine the severity of the disease and its form, the following diagnostic methods are used:

X-ray of the skull and blood vessels. The study reveals thinning of the skull bones.
Ultrasound, namely echoencephalography. Allows you to determine the degree of increase in intracranial pressure.
Magnetic resonance and computed tomography. The magnetic resonance method determines the form of hydrocephalus and its severity. CT scan allows you to find out the shape and size of the ventricles, as well as possible abnormalities, such as a tumor.
Neuropsychological examination. The patient's history is taken.
Ophthalmoscopy. An assessment is given visual disturbances and the current state of the optic discs.
Lumbar puncture. It is carried out to study cerebral fluid.

Only after full diagnostics patient, therapeutic therapy is prescribed.

What direction of treatment the doctor will give depends on its etiology. Non-surgical therapy is usually used for the acquired form of the disease, which is of the inflammatory type, after a head injury or hemorrhage.

In this case, drug treatment includes the following forms of drugs:

Diuretics and Saluretics.
Plasma replacement solutions.
Vasoactive drugs;
Diuretics;
Anti-inflammatory drugs;

It is worth noting that in most cases, complete cure is only possible with the help of surgery.

Surgery to eliminate hydrocephalus of the brain is performed using the following methods:

Brain shunt. This method not used for chronic forms of the disease. The essence of the operation is to remove excess cerebrospinal fluid to other areas of the body.
Endoscopy. It is carried out with mixed, replacement and, since it is in these areas that the effectiveness of endoscopy has been proven. The purpose of the operation is to remove fluid and the cause of the circulation disorder, as a rule, this cause is a tumor formation.

Also, do not forget that with hydrocephalus it is important to follow a properly selected diet.

Increase consumption of diuretic products;
Adequate intake of vitamins, amino acids, proteins and carbohydrates;
Avoid consumption of salt and foods containing it as much as possible;
You should reduce your consumption of fatty, smoked and spicy foods; various fast foods are especially dangerous.
Refusal alcoholic drinks and sweet soda;

In some cases, they use the services traditional medicine, however, it is worth noting that studies show its low effectiveness in the treatment of hydrocephalus. It is advisable to treat this disease with folk recipes, only at the initial stage.

At the initial stage of the disease it is useful:

In order to improve the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid, use decoctions of watermelon skin, black elderberry bark, buds and birch leaves.
For acute headaches, a decoction of lemon balm leaves is excellent.

Consequences of hydrocephalus

How long do people live with the disease? At the first symptoms, it is very important to immediately visit a qualified specialist. If you start treatment on time, you can significantly save the patient’s life. But only his attending physician can tell exactly how long a person will live.

Hydrocephalus of the brain in adults is dangerous because if it is not treated dangerous disease or the treatment is chosen incorrectly, quite serious complications may arise.

The most common such complications include:

Weak muscle tone in the arms and legs;
Loss of auditory and visual functionality;
Serious respiratory and cardiovascular disorders;
Violation of water-salt balance;
The occurrence of epileptic seizures;
Manifestation of symptoms of dementia;
Increased likelihood of death with atrophy of brain function.

Video

The so-called dropsy of the brain is of a neuralgic nature; it appears due to an excess of a special fluid in the ventricular sector of the brain. This disease is characteristic of newborns - however, it also occurs among adults.

Why does dropsy of the brain occur in children and adults?

Incorrect diagnosis, incorrect diagnosis, causes a number of exacerbations, and can even provoke death.

The entire set of factors that determine the formation of the disease in question can be divided into two groups:

The reasons that provoke the occurrence of the disease in children. This includes the intrauterine period, when the organs and systems of the fetus begin to emerge; birth, early childhood:

Causes of hydrocephalus in adults represent a wide list of components, but most often this disease is provoked by the following factors:

, which caused errors in the functioning of the brain.
Hemorrhages in the brain that formed due to injury, non-traumatic effects: destruction of blood vessels.
Oncological diseases of the brain. Most often, their location is the brain stem, ventricle.
Ailments associated with infectious lesions of the body, central nervous system: meningitis, encephalitis, tuberculosis.
Negative transformations in brain matter of a non-infectious nature, which can be provoked by a number of reasons: alcoholism, trauma, diabetes mellitus, drug addiction.

Types and degrees of cerebral hydrocele

Congenital hydrocephalus. A child is born with this diagnosis - the disease can be diagnosed in the prenatal period.
Acquired. Relevant after injuries in which the brain was damaged, in case of inflammatory phenomena. This type of dropsy is typical for adult patients.

Based on the characteristics of hydrocephalus, it is divided into:

As part of the disease under consideration, cerebrospinal fluid can be localized in various points of the brain, which will affect the type of hydrocephalus:

Internal. The fluid concentrates in the ventricular space and other places in the brain. This happens due to excessive production of cerebrospinal fluid, which, for some reason, cannot leave areas of the brain favorably. Such phenomena can be provoked by tumors in the brain, disruptions in blood circulation through injury, infection of the lining of the brain. Due to the impossibility of fluid outflow, depletion of the planes of the brain ventricle occurs, which negatively affects vision. Visually, in children with internal hydrocele of the brain, an increase in the diameter of the skull can be observed. In adults, this type of cerebral hydrocele is rare, but cases do occur. The cause of the disease can be alcoholism and head impacts. Doctors note slow blood flow throughout the body in adults with hydrocephalus.
Outdoor. Occurs in newborns and children under 2 years of age. It often self-destructs; visual changes can be detected from the frontal area of the child. When examining the ventricles of the brain, the latter will have standard sizes - sometimes you can see their slight expansion.

Depending on the symptomatic complex, consequences, which can lead to dropsy of the brain, the latter can be divided into:

Spicy. When no more than 3 days pass from the discovery of the first symptoms of an illness to a total deterioration in well-being.
Subacute. Duration of the patient's transition from normal condition(at the start of the disease) until extensive errors in the functioning of the brain are 30 days.
Chronic. The disease reaches decompensation within 3-6 months from the onset.

Dividing hydrocephalus into degrees is carried out taking into account indicators that indicate its growth, stability, decrease:

Regressive. This disease in its manifestations is gradually being eliminated.
Progressive. There is an increase in symptoms and their intensification. To eliminate them, doctors often perform surgery.
Stabilized. There are no transformations.

Main signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus in children and adults

The general manifestation of the disease in question in older patients is caused by an excessive volume of cerebrospinal fluid, which concentrates in the cranial space, provoking an increase in intracranial pressure.

The symptoms of acute hydrocephalus in this category of patients have several components:

General state. On initial stages the disease, with its progress, patients report headaches, increased intracranial pressure, and nausea. These manifestations can be of an increasing/decreasing nature. In a relationship external hydrocephalus such symptoms do not exist/their manifestation is insignificant. External hydrocele of the brain requires careful examination.

Errors in the functioning of the central nervous system. Appears due to compression of brain matter by accumulated fluid; is a direct provocateur of the disease in question. Patients have complaints in the aspect of the vestibular apparatus and organs of vision. In the first case it is noted:

Tinnitus of varying duration.
Gait disturbances: the patient has difficulty coordinating his movements.
Dizziness.

With regard to vision, we can state a decline in its acuity, the loss in some areas of the eye of the ability to visualize objects.

If hydrocephalus is not treated, atrophy of the nerves located in the eyeball may occur, which can lead to total loss of vision.

Malfunctions in the musculoskeletal system:

Partial paralysis of muscle tissue.
Lack/weakening of sensitivity to external stimuli.
Transformations in gait and handwriting. Relevant for occlusive hydrocephalus, when fluid cannot circulate normally.

Mental disorders:

A quick, causeless change of emotions: joy can be replaced by indifference, happiness by melancholy.
Emergence strong aggression, which is explained by increased intracranial pressure.

When diagnosing chronic form the disease in question, its course,
Patients' complaints will vary.

Often, the first manifestations of chronic cerebral hydrocele can be seen at least two weeks after injury, infectious disease, other factors that can cause it.

The following symptoms are present:

The patient's biorhythm is confused: At night he is awake, during the day he wants to sleep. Vital activity decreases: constant waves of apathy and indifference.
Lost in time, space. The patient cannot correctly answer the question about the day of the week, month, or date of birth.
When the disease reaches highest point As the disease progresses, the patient loses the ability to fully speak, think, and move.
Urinary incontinence. Rare, but occurs in adult patients in advanced stages of cerebral hydrocele.

The symptoms of the disease in question in children 0-16 years old are different than in adults. The main difference is the absence of transformations in relation to intracranial pressure - the main changes concern the shape of the skull:

Non-standard head sizes. If the hydrocele of the brain is severe, children have a spherical head, disproportionate to the size of the body.
Swelling of veins on the scalp.
Sunken eyeballs. In advanced stages, this symptom is combined with a tight, sophisticated skin on the head, face, protruding ears.
Errors in vision. This is due to swelling of the nerve that transmits information from the brain to the visual centers.
Developmental delay. In children under 12 months of age, the inability to move and hold their head is stated. This then becomes a cause of obesity. At a later age, children are far behind healthy children in development, their emotions are dulled. Unlike adult patients, they do not show aggression, but apathy and melancholy are inherent in them.
There is no pulsation in the large fontanelle.
When you tap on the skull, a characteristic sound is heard.

At the age of 12-13 to 16 years, hydrocephalitis is accompanied by severe migraines, which provoke frequent vomiting; loss of consciousness and seizures; deranged state (the patient is delusional).

Methods of modern diagnosis of hydrocephalus

The characteristic manifestations of the disease in question enable the doctor to assume and confirm its presence already at the first appointment.

In order to find out what diseases caused dropsy of the brain, how far this disease has gone in its development, they carry out a number of hardware studies:

X-ray of the head. Needed to determine the type, subtype, and degree of hydrocephalus. The image will show the divergence of the bone walls on the outer side of the skull, the presence of small rounded dents in the inner part. A more popular method of studying this disease is CT and MRI of the brain. They help to visualize in more detail the structure of the ventricles, subarachnoid area, and skull, and to more clearly understand the cause of cerebral hydrocele.
Echoencephalography – ultrasound study of intracranial pressure fluctuations.
Ultrasonography. Relevant for newborn babies. Through their fontanelle, this diagnostic method can be used to study the state of the brain.
Ophthalmoscopy. Needed to determine the degree of malfunction of the eye organs and check visual acuity. For these purposes, you need to contact an ophthalmologist, who, in addition to ophthalmoscopy, may prescribe another medical examination (perimetry).

Hydrocephalus is a disease characterized by excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Its balanced circulation is very important for normal brain activity.

Typically, such a pathology is associated with high intracranial pressure (ICP), when cerebrospinal fluid is intensively produced, but is poorly absorbed, provoking the development of foci of the disease.

Causes of the anomaly

The causes of the pathology are caused by changes related to the production and movement of cerebrospinal fluid. The diagnosis of encephalia in newborns is associated with infections that the pregnant woman had.

For example, its cytomegalovirus variety contributes to the defective functioning of the ventricles of the fetal brain. Depending on the location of the pathology, doctors distinguish between internal, external and mixed types of the disease.

In addition to the congenital form, infants can also develop acquired hydrocephalus as a complication after meningitis, intoxication, or head injuries. Most of types of this disease is a consequence of the obstructed outflow of cerebrospinal fluid accumulating in the ventricles of the brain.

Forms of the disease

Depending on the location there are:

Internal (ventricular) dropsy - cerebrospinal fluid collects directly in the ventricles, stretching the brain.
Outer shape- excess cerebrospinal fluid is concentrated under meninges and squeezes it from the outside. At the same time, inside, in the ventricles, its content remains normal. This is enough rare view dropsy, which occurs against the background of brain atrophy.
Mixed hydrocephalus is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid inside, in the ventricles, and outside, in the subarachnoid space.

The choice of treatment methods - both conservative and surgical - will depend on the type of this serious disease.

Features of hydrocephalus

The characteristics of the disease, due to the interaction of certain mechanisms, cause other types of cerebral hydrocele.

Mixed replacement hydrocephalus is usually observed in elderly patients with signs of decreased brain volume. Her distinctive feature- replacement of the vacated space with liquor. The background for the formation of such pathology is often concussions, hypertension, atherosclerosis, weakness of the cervical vertebrae, and alcohol dependence.

A moderate form helps reduce blood flow. This may be the result of inhibition of many brain functions. If replacement hydrocephalus is accompanied by an increase in volume cerebral ventricles, then patients exhibit a decrease in ICP, in alternative it will be elevated.

If there are no complaints, moderate mixed hydrocephalus does not need treatment. The patient's condition can be monitored using additional examinations. An MRI will show the dynamics of the disease. If the cavity is cerebrospinal fluid increases, the neurologist will recommend diuretics and vasodilators.

As the disease progresses, brain cells die. The patient may be offered surgery. In the past, bypass surgery was always performed, modern technologies supplemented the arsenal of methods with neuroendoscopic surgery.

Surgical treatment of such a pathology as moderate mixed hydrocephalus of the brain is carried out only after agreement with the attending physician. If the patient does not receive adequate therapy, he will subsequently be forced into a wheelchair.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of the disease indicate increased ICP:

attacks of nausea;
drowsiness;
constant headaches;
stagnation optic nerve;
displacement along the head axis.

Signs of hydrocephalus mixed type characterized by headaches with maximum intensity in the morning, immediately after waking up. This is explained by an increase in ICP during sleep.

Important symptom- a state of drowsiness, which plays the role of a harbinger of more dangerous neurological disorders.

When a diagnosis of mixed hydrocephalus is made in adults, sharp pains that tear through the skull are noted around the head. In the morning, the malaise is accompanied by nausea.

In addition to headaches mixed form Atrophic hydrocephalus is accompanied by speech disorder, weakness in the legs, epilepsy, memory impairment, especially memorization of numerical information. With any form of dropsy, patients are passive and uninitiative.

As the disease progresses, further mental disorder occurs, eliminating the possibility of self-care. The patient responds inadequately to simple questions.

In the later stages of the disease, urinary incontinence is possible. After a comprehensive examination with the correct diagnosis, the doctor develops a personal treatment regimen for the patient.

Hydrocephalus in children

Dropsy of the brain in children is not the same rare disease: one baby per 4,000 births. But there are also comforting statistics: congenital cancer is successfully treated with shunting, and children with a tube in their head can live full life with adequate loads.

A serious illness with unpredictable consequences can be caused by:

Congenital causes - impaired brain development of the fetus, infections suffered by the pregnant woman, disruption of normal circulation of cerebrospinal fluid.
The acquired form occurs in premature infants, as well as with birth injuries. It can develop after neurosurgery, bleeding, concussion, tumor, infection of the meninges.

The external type of pathology is considered congenital. Treated with medications. If the result is unsatisfactory, surgery is performed.

Internal dropsy can be acquired or congenital. Treatment methods are similar.

Mixed hydrocephalus in children is characterized by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid under the meninges and in the ventricles. The principle of treatment is therapy that improves cerebral blood flow and reduces ICP; diuretics are also used.

How additional methods use herbal medicine and massage. Manual therapy is also effective. The result is monitored monthly by ultrasound.

Signs of the disease can be detected when there are problems with breastfeeding, difficulty turning the head, frequent restless crying.

Other signs include:

increased ICP;
protruding open fontanelle;
omission eyeball;
astigmatism and eye twitching;
throwing back the head;
seizures;
slow development;
lack of coordination;
loss of vision and hearing.

But the most obvious symptom is the intensive growth of the skull, regardless of the baby’s constitution. An experienced doctor determines the hydrocephalic shape of the skull visually. But the last word- a neurosurgeon, clarifying the need and urgency of the operation, the chances of curing the child without it.

At surgical treatment shunts are inserted: through them, excess fluid goes into abdominal cavity. The valve regulates the level of cerebrospinal fluid. As children get older, they need corrective surgery.

In neuroendoscopic surgery, an endoscope with a tiny camera marks the insertion site for a catheter to drain cerebrospinal fluid. This creates a backup channel for excess fluid. Repeated operations There is no need to replace the tubes - they are not there. Innovative method not as versatile as bypass surgery.

Patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus are observed by a neurologist with mandatory periodic diagnostics. In mild forms, patients may be removed from the register; shunt-dependent patients remain under observation for life.

It is important to remember that hydrocephalus is not a death sentence.. If you find an experienced doctor, go through full examination, clarify the type of disease, collect all possible information about it, then with timely and competent treatment you can count on a favorable prognosis.