The disease with hydrocephalic syndrome is quite common in neurology, but this term is common only among specialists from the countries of the former CIS. Usually this diagnosis is made in newborns suffering from perinatal encephalopathy. The disease manifests itself in an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) under the membranes of the brain and in its ventricles. This is due to the presence of any obstacle to its outflow or due to other disorders that are associated with reverse absorption of CSF.
With increased intracranial pressure, newborns develop hypertensive-hydrocephalic syndrome. His clinical picture is much more complicated.
Causes of occurrence
The main causes of hydrocephalic syndrome include disorders in the development of the brain, neuroinfections, problems during pregnancy, negative factors during childbirth, cerebral hemorrhages, intrauterine infections, ischemia or hypoxia of the brain, and prematurity of the fetus.
Difficulty in making a diagnosis
Unfortunately, modern medicine has not yet developed methods fordetection of hydrocephalic syndrome. Therapy is also not at a sufficient level. There are frequent cases when this diagnosis can be made without sufficient grounds and be erroneous.
How to tell?
The presence of some signs will determine whether a newborn baby has hydrocephalus syndrome. He may be disturbed by vomiting and convulsions, he suckles badly at the breast, often cries piercingly. Also, the baby may be excessively drowsy, he may experience an increase in the size of the head, swelling of the fontanel and the absence of pulsation in it, dilation of the blood vessels of the head. After a year, other signs appear, for example, keeping the head in a fixed position is difficult for the child. Headaches accompanied by vomiting may occur. Examination of the fundus reveals congestive optic discs. The child is lethargic, inactive, apathetic. If these symptoms are observed, the baby needs to be urgently hospitalized.
Don't panic
It should be remembered that children are characterized by periodic fluctuations in pressure - cerebrospinal fluid and blood pressure. If we talk about older people, then these fluctuations are very unlikely to be symptoms - hydrocephalic syndrome in adults, as a rule, does not develop. In addition, nausea, frequent headaches, dizziness may indicate the presence of infectious diseases, metabolic disorders or brain function. Increased head size is also not alwaysa sign of hydrocephalic syndrome - the reason for this may be genetics.
Treatment
Therapy is carried out with drugs aimed at increasing the outflow and reducing the production of cerebrospinal fluid. In case of insufficient medical treatment, a neurosurgical operation is prescribed, which consists in bypassing the brain ventricles.
