What is the best treatment for hydrocephalus?
Can hydrocephalus be cured naturally?
Can hydrocephalus be treated without surgery?
Can hydrocephalus be treated with drugs?
Hydrocephalus treatment options
The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical insertion of a drainage system, called a shunt. It consists of a long, flexible tube with a valve that keeps fluid from the brain flowing in the right direction and at the proper rate. One end of the tubing is usually placed in one of the brain’s ventricles.
One of two surgical treatments may be used to treat hydrocephalus.
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Shunt System
The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical insertion of a drainage system, called a shunt. It consists of a long, flexible tube with a valve that keeps fluid from the brain flowing in the right direction and at the proper rate.
One end of the tubing is usually placed in one of the brain’s ventricles. The tubing is then tunneled under the skin to another part of the body where the excess cerebrospinal fluid can be more easily absorbed such as the abdomen or a chamber in the heart.
People who have hydrocephalus usually need a shunt system for the rest of their lives, and regular monitoring is required.
Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) and Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy with Choroid Plexus Cauterization (ETV/CPC)
A second treatment option for hydrocephalus is a surgical procedure called endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). This same ETV procedure with the addition of choroid plexus cauterization is available for infants. In the ETV procedure, an endoscope is used to puncture a membrane in the floor of the third ventricle creating a pathway for CSF flow within the cavities in the brain. This approach is an important alternative to shunting for obstructive hydrocephalus and may be useful in other cases as well.
The third treatment option involves the addition of choroid plexus cauterization with endoscopic third ventriculostomy in infants. The neurosurgeon uses a device to burn or cauterize tissue from the choroid plexus. The choroid plexus is a network of vessels in the ventricles of the brain where cerebrospinal fluid is produced.
The success rate for ETV or ETV/CPC depends upon patient factors such as age, cause of hydrocephalus, and whether there is scarring in the fluid space below the floor of the third ventricle. For some patients, the chance for success of the ETV may be up to 90%; however, for others, ETV with the addition of CPC for infants may not be recommended because the chances for success are sufficiently low. Your neurosurgeon should be able to provide you with a reliable estimate of the likelihood for success in your particular situation prior to the operation. It’s critical that parents and patients understand that ETV is not always a permanent cure for hydrocephalus. Candid communication with your physician regarding the definition of success is important when considering ETV.
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What is the best treatment for hydrocephalus?
The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical insertion of a drainage system, called a shunt.
Can hydrocephalus be cured naturally?
Can hydrocephalus be treated without surgery?
Hydrocephalus is a chronic condition. It can be controlled, but usually not cured. There is currently no known way to prevent or cure hydrocephalus and the only treatment option today requires brain surgery. With early detection and appropriate intervention of hydrocephalus, the future for many is promising. Recent research is advancing knowledge and moving us closer to a cure.
Can hydrocephalus be treated with drugs?
All successful, long-term treatments are surgical. There is little use for medication in hydrocephalus. In some acquired cases, as with tumors and infections, resolving the underlying condition will resolve the hydrocephalus, but most patients still require surgical intervention. Acetazolamide (ACZ) and furosemide (FUR) treat post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus in neonates. Both are diuretics that also appear to decrease secretion of CSF at the level of the choroid plexus. ACZ can be used alone or in conjunction with FUR.
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