Encyclopedia > Hydrocephalus

  Article Content

Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles[?] of the brain.

In babies and infants, the head will enlarge because the bones are not joined together. One of the early symptoms in the newborn is that the fontanelle (soft spot) will bulge and become firm.

Doctors are able to treat hydrocephalus by putting a tube, called a shunt, into the ventricles to help drain the fluid. Most shunts drain the fluid into the abdominal area, where it is absorbed, but some drain to the heart.

About 80% of fetuses or new born infants with spina bifida develop hydrocephalus.


Hydrocephalus is a Latin term that means 'water on the brain'.



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
242

... 2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century Decades: 190s 200s 210s 220s 230s - 240s - 250s 260s 270s 280s 290s Years: 237 238 239 240 241 - 242 - 243 244 245 246 ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 37.4 ms