Unfortunately, many dangerous diseases are known to medicine. One of them is dropsy of the brain. The causes, consequences, symptoms, methods of treating this pathology will be considered within the framework of this material. This disease is professionally referred to as hydrocephalus. Its feature is to increase the ventricles of the brain. It occurs due to excessive accumulation of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid). In most cases, this disease is diagnosed in newborns. However, older children may also be at risk. Also, the pathology develops in adults.
Briefly about the disease
Hydrocephalus is characterized by the fact that cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in large quantities in the ventricular system of the brain. This happens due to a violation of the production or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid. This clear liquid is formeds alts, proteins, cells. With hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain), a child may accumulate about 50 ml of cerebrospinal fluid. When adults become ill, this number approximately doubles.
If a person is he althy, then the produced cerebrospinal fluid is absorbed in the required volume. Thus, the processes of absorption and generation are balanced. The volume of CSF does not increase, remaining stable. In a he althy body, the brain produces about 0.5 liters of cerebrospinal fluid per day.
What causes dropsy?
- circulation disorder;
- insufficient suction (very slow);
- excessive CSF production.
Classification
Dropsy of the brain (see the article for photos of people with this disease) can be primary (congenital) and secondary (acquired). The latter form is diagnosed if hydrocephalus was provoked by other pathologies that caused complications in the vascular system of the brain.
After studying the pathogenesis, scientists identified three types of dropsy:
- communicating;
- increased secretion;
- occlusion (obstruction of blood vessels).
The disease can occur in chronic, subacute and acute forms. As for the latter, the pathology develops very rapidly, the symptoms appear within three days. The subacute form is characterized by reduced intensity. Develops in about one month. And the mosta long period has a chronic form. With it, brain disorders can be diagnosed after 6 or more months.
When a person fails to produce and absorb CSF, this affects the pressure. Therefore, in medicine, three categories are classified:
- pressure is normal;
- poor performance;
- high.
Views
Above were considered forms of dropsy of the brain. However, doctors also classify this disease according to the place of accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid. They distinguish three types:
- Common or mixed. It is characterized by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid throughout the brain. That is, it fills not only the ventricles, but also the subarachnoid space.
- Internal. CSF accumulation is localized only in the ventricles.
- Outer (outer). Cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the subarachnoid space (near the skull).
Edema of the brain in a newborn: causes
As mentioned above, hydrocephalus of the brain is most often diagnosed in newborns. As a rule, this pathology provokes a severe form of childbirth. In such a situation, the child may be seriously injured. Also, the cause of the occurrence is a long period of childbirth after the discharge of amniotic fluid.
Also, this disease can occur in a fetus that is still in the womb. In this case, viral and infectious diseases that a woman suffered during pregnancy become harbingers. The most dangerous aretoxoplasmosis, herpes, cytomegaly. Dropsy of the brain in infants is determined already in the first months of life. Diagnosed as congenital.
But if the child is already 5 or more years old, then hydrocephalus will be acquired. It can occur against the background of serious illnesses:
- neoplasms of the spinal cord and brain (tumors);
- genetic disorders;
- tuberculosis;
- severe traumatic brain injury;
- inflammatory processes (encephalitis, meningitis);
- defects and hemorrhages.
Unfortunately, there are often situations that doctors cannot determine the source that provoked the development of dropsy.
Why do adults get sick?
Not only babies are diagnosed with cerebral hydrocephalus. Unfortunately, a person's age does not protect him from this dangerous disease. All people without exception are at risk.
Causes of dropsy of the brain in adults:
- traumatic brain injury;
- oncology;
- hemorrhage;
- complications after surgery;
- atrophy (reduction of organic tissues);
- meningitis, arterial hypertension, stroke, atherosclerosis.
Symptoms in children
Having de alt with the causes of dropsy of the brain, it is necessary to talk about the symptoms of this disease. Given the danger of the diagnosis, each parent should treat the following signs veryseriously.
So let's look at the most common symptoms in children:
- the baby's head grows rapidly, becomes like a ball;
- frequent and profuse regurgitation;
- developmental delay;
- pale skin;
- displaced eyes, strabismus, decreased vision;
- cramps and trembling of limbs, chin;
- irritable behavior;
- tilting the head;
- there is no pulsation in the fontanel, it rises significantly above the skull.
It is important to consider that in older children, the head will not increase with the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. This is explained by the fused bones of the skull. But the absence of a visual change in the child's head, unfortunately, does not exclude the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid. If he has severe headaches, weakness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision and hearing, then you should consult a doctor. In this case, it is possible to confirm or refute the diagnosis only by performing a tomography.
Edema of the brain in adults: symptoms
In most cases, in adults, as in children, the disease manifests itself with similar symptoms. These include:
- intense headaches, weakness, noises and dizziness;
- impaired neurological function and disorder of the motor system;
- significant reduction in vision;
- feeling of nausea turning into vomiting;
- depression, apathy, decreased performance;
- attacksepilepsy.
Most older people also experience increased intracranial pressure. The deviation from the norm can be quite insignificant. As a rule, in this case, doctors diagnose normotensive hydrocephalus.
If the pressure inside the skull remains normal, then, most likely, brain atrophy occurs. It does not increase due to the fact that the tissues decrease in size, and the cerebrospinal fluid fills the free space. With such a course, mixed replacement hydrocephalus is placed.
Hydrocephalus external type: features
Cerebrospinal fluid accumulates near the bones of the skull in an external type of disease. In an open form, the cerebrospinal fluid freely communicates with all places of localization. Also, the pathology can manifest itself in a different way. In a closed form, there is no communication between areas of fluid accumulation.
What are the symptoms of dropsy of the brain in adults of the external type?
- Double vision.
- Weakness.
- Fatigue.
- Headache.
- Nausea.
- Incoordination.
- Drowsy.
- Incontinence.
However, doctors are aware of such cases when external hydrocephalus develops asymptomatically. A person does not even feel a headache for a long time. Such a course corresponds to a moderate type of pathology. This form is the most insidious, as it does not allow to detect the disease in the early stages. Most often, it is diagnosed by chance during a comprehensive examination. Deterioration cancome on suddenly. It provokes poor cerebral circulation.
Internal hydrocephalus
Internal dropsy of the brain is a disease in which fluid is localized in the ventricles. Most often, the cause of its accumulation is the weak absorption of cerebrospinal fluid by tissues. In an acquired form, the pathology occurs after a stroke, infectious diseases or thrombosis.
Internal hydrocephalus can occur in a moderately severe form. In this case, she does not show herself in any way. In other forms, it is accompanied by headache, decreased vision, hearing loss, nausea.
Diagnosis
It is worth considering that even the totality of all the symptoms listed above does not yet indicate the development of hydrocephalus. An accurate diagnosis can only be made after a comprehensive examination. First of all, the doctor examines the fundus of the eye. At the slightest suspicion, CT, neurosonography and MRI are prescribed. The primary diagnosis is made by neurologists, therapists, neurosurgeons and neonatologists. If dropsy of the brain is suspected in a child, then a pediatrician writes out a referral for examination.
Neurosonography is used to diagnose pathology in children. This method is possible only if the fontanel has not yet closed. Older kids, but not yet reached the age of two, do an ultrasound. Such an examination is possible due to the thin bones of the skull, for example, the temporal. However, doctors do not consider it accurate. With absolute certainty, you can determine the extensionventricles and the presence of other formations only with the help of MRI.
Adult diagnosis is slightly different. Doctors pay more attention to complaints about well-being. A neurological examination is also carried out. If dropsy is suspected, the patient is sent for an MRI. As in the case of children, such a study allows an accurate diagnosis. In addition, the doctor may refer the patient for X-rays or angiography.
Treatment
With the slow development of dropsy of the brain in adults, conservative treatment is used. As a rule, it is possible if an open form is diagnosed.
Conservative therapy includes:
- Decrease in intracranial pressure. For this, the doctor prescribes drugs such as Furosemide, Diakarb. The positive effect does not come quickly. Take these medicines for a long time - sometimes for several months.
- Reduce accumulated fluid. The preparations "Mannitol", "Glycerin" are used.
- Strengthening blood vessels. This can be achieved by taking potassium.
- Decreased production of cerebrospinal fluid. For an effective result, "Acetazolamide" is prescribed.
- Removal of liquid. Applies to infants only. The puncture is done through the fontanel.
- Combating the sources of disease. In secondary hydrocephalus, it is necessary to cure the disease that provoked the development of pathology.
- Strengthening the body. To treat a dangerous disease, a person will needstrength. To do this, the body is strengthened with vitamins.
If conservative therapy has not brought positive results, then doctors decide on a surgical intervention. In this case, there is a high probability of complete healing. By agreeing to the operation, you can avoid quite deplorable consequences. Dropsy of the brain without treatment leads to the death of the patient.
Contraindications for surgery
The effectiveness of surgical intervention leaves no doubt. However, it is not always possible for the patient to undergo surgery. This method has contraindications. For example, surgical treatment of dropsy of the brain is not prescribed for those patients who have inflammatory processes in the membrane of the brain. Also, you can not do an operation if a person suffers from epilepsy, deafness, blindness. Unfortunately, this group also includes people suffering from mental illness.
Bypassing
There are several types of surgery. One of them is shunting. In the fight against this pathology, it has been considered quite effective for several years. Used to remove excess liquid.
What is the essence of this method? If dropsy of the brain has been diagnosed, then a shunt is installed during the operation. Catheters are placed in the lateral ventricles. The design of this device has a valve that regulates the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid. Fluid is withdrawn into the abdominal cavity or the atrium region using a peripheral catheter.
KUnfortunately, shunting, although an effective method, is far from safe. After such an operation, complications may occur:
- Slow outflow of cerebrospinal fluid.
- Damage to the shunt system.
- Infection and, as a result, infection.
- Crash in installed system.
If such complications occur, the patient will have to undergo a second operation.
Consequences
In patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus, an irreversible process of tissue necrosis may begin. As a result, the blood supply is disrupted. In turn, this leads to atrophy. If the disease is already at this stage, then no treatment will help. People in this condition get a disability. Over time, motor ability is impaired. A person loses the ability to move independently. Mental abilities are also irreversibly lost.
Many people ask: "How many people live with dropsy of the brain?" Forecasts will depend on many factors. If hydrocephalus is congenital, then there is every chance that at some point it will stop its growth. In this situation, you can completely recover. But for patients in whom dropsy progresses rapidly, the prognosis is disappointing. With this course of the disease, children rarely live past the age of 5.
The consequences of this pathology are quite serious. Patients often develop dislocation syndrome. Due to the fact that the parts of the brain are compressed, a shift occurs. And this, in turn, leads to disruption of brain activity. Sickare depressed, and sometimes may fall into a coma.
Prevention
Hydrocephalus is better prevented than treated later. It must be understood that there is no magic pill for this disease. The quality of life of patients deteriorates significantly, and newborn children cannot fully develop. Given that this pathology can lead to the death of the patient, it is necessary to know and implement all preventive measures. Only this will help to avoid all fatal consequences.
Dropsy of the brain in a newborn in some cases appears due to the negligent attitude of the expectant mother. During pregnancy, it is important not to self-medicate, and even more so not to decide on your own which medications to take. All this should be supervised by medical professionals. It is recommended to refuse viral injections. If necessary, vaccinations are given before pregnancy. Naturally, in no case should you smoke and drink alcohol in this state.
As for adults, they need to take their he alth seriously. Undergo scheduled medical check-ups. This will allow to detect the disease at an early stage. And as doctors assure, timely treatment increases the patient's chances of recovery. It is important to protect your head from injury, lead a he althy lifestyle, spend time actively in the fresh air and monitor nutrition. If you strengthen the immune system, then most diseases will not be terrible.
