Treatment of hydrocephalus

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Hydrocephalus is a chronic disease.

It can be controlled, but it is usually impossible to cure definitively. However, with proper timely treatment, many elderly people with hydrocephalus live a perfectly normal life without serious limitations.

Hydrocephalus can be at any age, but is most common among infants and adults aged 60 years and older.

More information about the diagnosis can be found at the link HYDROCEPHALUS

1. Decreased memory, later dementia or senile dementia with a gradual decrease in cognitive abilities, which affects the daily functioning of a person. Also, you can include symptoms like changes in emotional manifestations and a decrease in motivation, although this usually does not affect a person’s consciousness.
2. Problems whith the control of urination. This is an alarming problem that has a serious impact on the quality of life.
3. Movement disorders. The steps are typical for patients with hydrocephalus: broad, short, slow and shuffling. Patients may have problems with the onset of movement, as if their feet are glued to the ground. They may have difficulty moving up the stairs and often fall. Difficulties in walking can be the most obvious first symptom. These disorders vary in severity from moderate imbalance to inability to stand or walk at all.

Patients with three main symptoms, or a combination of other symptoms characteristic of hydrocephalus, should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Before your doctor can recommend a course of treatment, he will conduct an interview and a complete neurological examination, which includes additional tests that are necessary. A neurological examination will also help determine the severity of your condition. There are a number of studies that can help identify the cause and severity of the condition:

Computed tomography (CT) of the brain: The resulting image may show ventricular enlargement or occlusion (obstruction) in the outflow tract.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), like CT, will help assess the size of brain structures and further investigate the movement of SMR through the ventricles using special modes. MRI provides more detailed information than CT, so in most cases, this study has an advantage in terms of diagnosis.
Lumbar puncture (LB): under local anesthesia, a thin needle is inserted into the space where the SMR circulates at the lumbar level. In open hydrocephalus, the so-called normotensive, or hydrocephalus of the elderly, lumbar puncture is performed to measure the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid and analyze its composition. This procedure can help determine whether the shunt is expected to improve prognostically after the shunt pressure. If you feel better after the drug and the symptoms decrease, even temporarily, this may indicate that shunt surgery will be appropriate.
Monitoring of ICP (intracranial pressure) can help detect abnormal pressure waves or an array of pressure waves, the relationship to the patient’s condition and their appearance. Monitoring requires a special device and includes the need to stay in the hospital around the clock for the duration of the study.