Hydrocephalus is commonly called the "water on the brain." Hydrocephalus occurs due to the build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. The excess fluid enhances the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain.

Hydrocephalus can occur at any age; they can be either congenital – present before birth – or acquired, which develops after birth. Best neurologist in Pune can treat for hydrocephalus and can restore normal cerebrospinal fluid levels in the brain. To manage symptoms or functional impairments resulting from hydrocephalus, many different therapies are often required.

Causes of Hydrocephalus

The doctors and researchers haven't been able to find the exact cause of hydrocephalus. But it can result from genetic abnormalities or developmental disorders. However, Lesions or tumors of the brain, bleeding in the brain from a stroke or head injury, brain tumour or a brain hemorrhage can contribute to or trigger hydrocephalus.

Consult the best Neurologist in Pune with extensive experience diagnosing Normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Sometimes, it is misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease and thus does not lead to appropriate treatment.

What are hydrocephalus symptoms?

Symptoms in Toddlers and older children

• Headache
• Blurred or double vision
• Eyes fixed downward
• Abnormal enlargement of a toddler's head
• Sleepiness or lethargy
• Nausea or vomiting
• Unstable balance
• Poor coordination
• Poor appetite
• Seizures
• Urinary incontinence
• Behavioral and cognitive changes
• Irritability
• Change in personality
• The decline in school performance
• Delays or problems in walking or talking

Symptoms in Young and middle-aged adults

• Headache
• Lethargy
• Loss of coordination or balance
• Loss of bladder control or a frequent urge to urinate
• Impaired vision
• Decline in memory

Symptoms in Older adults

• Loss of bladder control or a frequent urge to urinate
• Memory loss
• A progressive loss of reasoning skills or thinking skills
• Difficulty walking
• Poor coordination or balance

Treatment for Hydrocephalus

The best brain tumours surgeon in Pune will diagnose you and determine your treatment depending on your age, health, prior surgeries, and other factors. The most common is the Shunt system, but ETV has known to be the preferred and better option. The neurosurgeon will determine which one is best for unique circumstances.

Shunt

It is the most common treatment for hydrocephalus. Best tumours surgeons in Pune perform surgical insertion of a drainage system. Shunt compromise of a long, flexible tube with a valve that helps in keeping the fluid from the brain flowing in the right direction and at the proper rate. People who suffer from hydrocephalus usually need a shunt system for the rest of their lives.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy is a minimally-invasive procedure where the best neurosurgeon in Pune will insert a small video camera inside your brain to make a hole in the bottom of one of the ventricles or between the ventricles so that the cerebrospinal fluid flows out of the brain.

Medications

The best doctors in Pune  will prescribe Acetazolamide and furosemide, which appear to reduce CSF levels by acting on the choroid plexus, the intraventricular tissue that produces this fluid. However, before taking any medicines, consult your doctor.

Outlook for patients

If hydrocephalus is addressed early, then there is a reasonably high survival rate. Many patients go on to living long and unrestricted lives. But hydrocephalus isn't something which might disappear someday. Thus, it becomes essential for you to consult the best neurosurgeon in Pune and get the necessary treatment if you begin exhibiting symptoms.