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In this Article

• Hydrocephalus facts
• What is hydrocephalus?
• What are the different types of hydrocephalus?
• Who gets this hydrocephalus?
• What causes hydrocephalus?
• What are the symptoms and signs of hydrocephalus?
• How is hydrocephalus diagnosed?
• What is the current treatment for hydrocephalus?
• What are the possible complications of a shunt system?
• What is the prognosis for hydrocephalus?
• What research is being done on hydrocephalus?
• Where can I get more information about hydrocephalus?
• Patient Comments: Hydrocephalus - Describe Your Experience
• Patient Comments: Hydrocephalus - Causes
• Find a local Neurologist in your town
• Hydrocephalus Index

Hydrocephalus is diagnosed through clinical neurological evaluation and by using cranial imaging techniques such as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or pressure-monitoring techniques. A physician selects the appropriate diagnostic tool based on an individual's age, clinical presentation, and the presence of known or suspected abnormalities of the brain or spinal cord.

Hydrocephalus is most often treated by surgically inserting a shunt system. This system diverts the flow of CSF from the CNS to another area of the body where it can be absorbed as part of the normal circulatory process.

A shunt is a flexible but sturdy plastic tube. A shunt system consists of the shunt, a catheter, and a valve. One end of the catheter is placed within a ventricle inside the brain or in the CSF outside the spinal cord. The other end of the catheter is commonly placed within the abdominal cavity, but may also be placed at other sites in the body such as a chamber of the heart or areas around the lung where the CSF can drain and be absorbed. A valve located along the catheter maintains one-way flow and regulates the rate of CSF flow.

A limited number of individuals can be treated with an alternative procedure called third ventriculostomy. In this procedure, a neuroendoscope — a small camera that uses fiber optic technology to visualize small and difficult to reach surgical areas — allows a doctor to view the ventricular surface. Once the scope is guided into position, a small tool makes a tiny hole in the floor of the third ventricle, which allows the CSF to bypass the obstruction and flow toward the site of resorption around the surface of the brain.