Hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is a lack of absorption, blockage of flow or overproduction of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) that is found inside the ventricles (fluid-filled chambers) of the brain. Hydrocephalus can cause pressure inside of the head and can lead to injury to the growing brain and abnormal enlargement of the skull. For more information on hydrocephalus, please visit the Health Library. How Is Hydrocephalus Diagnosed?Hydrocephalus is most commonly diagnosed by ultrasound, CT, or MRI scan. It may also be diagnosed before birth by prenatal ultrasound or fetal MRI scan.How is Hydrocephalus Treated At LPCH?At LPCH, we treat a wide spectrum of hydrocephalus cases ranging in age from premature infants to teenage patients. Each patient is treated by a multi-disciplinary team of neurosurgeons, neuro-opthamologists and neuro-psychologists, guided by the latest neuro-diagnostic equipment and techniques.Specific treatment for hydrocephalus will be determined by your child's physician based on:
Surgery is needed in most cases of hydrocephalus. Surgical treatment involves placing a mechanical shunting device into the child's brain to help drain the extra CSF from the ventricle to another part of the body to be absorbed. A common type of shunt is the ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt which drains spinal fluid from the ventricle to the abdomen. In addition to the placement of shunts, our team uses neuro-endoscopy as a treatment option for certain complex cases. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital is one of only a few places in Northern California that uses this technology to treat complex cases of hydrocephalus. This is a special surgical technique which incorporates the use of small endoscopes. In some select cases, it allows the treatment of hydrocephalus without the use of a shunt. One such procedure that may avoid the placement of a permanent shunt is the endoscopic third ventriculostomy. This procedure is performed with an endoscope (small camera) which is inserted into the third ventricle and a small perforation or hole is created allowing drainage of the CSF fluid from the blocked area into the normal CSF space surrounding the brain. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy is recommended for certain cases of hydrocephalus, such as aqueductal stenosis, and is successful in 90% of selected patients. To schedule an appointment or for additional information please call the Pediatric Neurosurgery Clinic at (650) 724-4270 or the Pediatric Neurosurgery Professional Office at (650) 497-8775. Lucile Packard Children's Hospital is located in Palo Alto, adjacent to Stanford University Hospital, approximately 20 miles north of San Jose, CA and 40 miles south of San Francisco.
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