Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus
 Hydrocephalus is a condition in which the primary characteristic is excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain. Although hydrocephalus was once known as "water on the brain," the "water" is actually cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) -- a clear fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The excessive accumulation of CSF results in an abnormal dilation of the spaces in the brain called ventricles. This dilation causes potentially harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain.
Hydrocephalus may be congenital or acquired. Congenital hydrocephalus is present at birth and may be caused by either environmental influences or genetic predisposition. Acquired hydrocephalus develops at the time of birth or at some point afterward. Acquired hydrocephalus can affect individuals of all ages and may be caused by injury or disease. The causes of hydrocephalus are not all well understood.
Symptoms
Symptoms of hydrocephalus vary with age, disease progression, and individual differences in tolerance to CSF. In infancy, the most obvious indication of hydrocephalus is often the rapid increase in head circumstance or an unusually large head size. In older children and adults, symptoms may include headache followed by vomiting, nausea, papilledema (swelling of the optic disk, which is part of the optic nerve), downward deviation of the eyes (called "sunsetting"), problems with balance, poor coordination, gait disturbance, urinary incontinence, slowing or loss of development, lethargy, drowsiness, irritability, or other changes in personality or cognition, including memory loss.
Diagnosis
Hydrocephalus is diagnosed through clinical neurological evaluation and by using cranial imaging techniques such as ultrasonography, computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or pressure-monitoring techniques.
 Is there any treatment?
Hydrocephalus is most often treated with the surgical placement of a shunt system. This system diverts the flow of CSF from a site within the central nervous system to another area of the body where it can be absorbed as part of the circulatory process. A shunt is a flexible but study silastic tube. A limited number of patients can be treated with an alternative procedure called third ventriculostomy. In this procedure, a small hole is made in the floor of the third ventricle, allowing the CSF to bypass the obstruction and flow toward the site of resorption around the surface of the brain.
 What is the Prognosis?
The prognosis for patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus is difficult to predict, although there is some correlation between the specific cause of hydrocephalus and the patient's outcome. Prognosis is further complicated by the presence of associated disorders, the timeliness of diagnosis, and the success of treatment. Affected individuals and their families should be aware that hydrocephalus poses risks to both cognitive and physical development. Treatment by an interdisciplinary team of medical professionals, rehabilitation specialists, and educational experts is critical to a positive outcome. Many children diagnosed with the disorder benefit from rehabilitation therapies and educational interventions, and go on to lead normal lives with few limitations.
SOURCE: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Reviewed 07-01-2001
Medical Illustrations & Medical Animations Copyright © 2010 Nucleus Medical Art. All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
|
 |
|
| What attorneys say about MLA and The Doe Report: |
"The jury returned a verdict for $800,000.00 and I'm sure we would not have done so well if not for the visualizations we were able to put forth with your assistance."
Daniel J. Costello
Proner & Proner
New York, NY |
"MLA's graphics bring the defense to the table sooner and with more money."
Mark Clayton Choate
Choate, Guinn & Springmeyer
Maui, HI |
"I would not want to try a case without them."
Lambros Y. Lambrou
McHUGH & LAMBROU, LLP
New York, NY |
"Our trial resulted in a $16 million verdict for my client, and the medical illustrations definitely played a key role in the trial."
David Cutt
Brayton Purcell
Salt Lake City, UT |
"We are very pleased with a verdict exceeding $297,000.00, far in excess of the $20,000.00 initially offered by the defendant. The medical demonstrative evidence provided by [MLA] was an asset we could not have afforded to have been without."
Todd J. Kenyon, Esq.
Minneapolis, MN |
"Every case can benefit from their excellent work and we unqualifiedly recommend their services. They are the best!"
Chris Otorowski
Morrow and Otorowski
Bainbridge Island, WA |
"Our firm has achieved multiple eight figure settlements and verdicts over the past ten years. Medical Legal Art has been there with us on every case."
Thomas C. Jones
Davis, Bethune & Jones, L.L.C.
Kansas City, MO |
"For $400, less than one blow-up by one of The Doe Report's competitors, I got four first-rate exhibits in less than a day."
Tracy Kenyon Lischer
Pulley Watson King & Lischer
Durham, NC |
"It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Medical Legal Art. One medical malpractice case... settled for 3.75 million and the other... settled for 6.9 million. We consider the artwork provided by MLA to have been invaluable in helping us to successfully conclude these cases."
E. Marcus Davis, Esq.
Davis Zipperman, Krischenbaum & Lotito
Atlanta, GA |
"My clients have won over $60 million in jury verdicts and I can't recall a case which did not include one of your medical exhibits. Keep up the great work!"
Kenneth J. Allen
Allen Law Firm
Valparaiso, IN |
"...after we sent a copy of your illustration to the defendants, with a copy to the insurance company, they increased their offer by an additional million dollars and the case was settled for $1,900,000.00. I appreciate your help!"
O. Fayrell Furr, Jr.
Furr, Henshaw & Ohanesian
Myrtle Beach, SC |
"The Doe Report's Do-It-Yourself Exhibits program enables easy customization of complex medical exhibits at a reasonable expense and in a timely manner. ...custom medical exhibits are no longer an unthinkable luxury, but a routine necessity."
Jack S. Cohen
Levy, Angstreich, Finney, Baldante & Coren
Philadelphia, PA |
"The speed and cost-effectiveness of [The Doe Report] made it the perfect tool for our purposes. We will use The Doe Report again in future cases."
Andrew Needle
Needle Gallagher & Ellenberg, P.A.
Miami, FL |
|
|
|
