When fluid builds up in the cavities or ventricles in the brain, it is called hydrocephalus. This cranial condition can put pressure on the brain and impact cerebral function. While cerebrospinal fluid is normally in the brain ventricles as lubricant, too much of this fluid can cause brain damage. Our exceptional neurosurgeon, Dr. Sina Rajamand, and our medical team at Battle Born Brain and Spine offer advanced hydrocephalus treatment through our medical center in the Reno and Carson City, NV area.

Causes and Symptoms of Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus occurs most often in infants and elderly adults over 60, but it can occur at any age. This buildup of cerebrospinal fluid occurs when either too much fluid is created or not enough is absorbed by the bloodstream, causing an imbalance. The flow of fluid in the brain ventricles cushions and supports the brain and spinal cord tissues and removes waste products. A common cause of hydrocephalus is when this flow is interrupted by an obstruction, causing a pooling of fluid in the ventricles and putting pressure on the brain.

When hydrocephalus occurs, it causes swelling in the brain that can impact nervous system function. The first signs can be different, depending on the age of the person. Hydrocephalus symptoms by age include:

• Infants: Increased size of head, bulging spots on head, vomiting, not feeding correctly, seizures and eyes fixed downward.
• Toddlers and children: Headache, blurred vision, eyes fixed downward, vomiting, sleepiness, unsteadiness, seizures, incontinence, cognitive changes and poor appetite.
• Adults young/middle-aged: Headache, coordination issues, lethargic, incontinence, cognitive dysfunction and vision impairments.
• Older adults: Incontinence, shuffling gait/difficult walking, memory loss, coordination/balance deterioration and frequent need to urinate.

With any combination of these signs or symptoms, you should seek medical attention for yourself or your loved one.

Shunt Surgery for Hydrocephalus

The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is shunt surgery. This involves insertion of a shunt, a flexible tubing, into one of the brain’s ventricles. This tubing is tunneled under the skin to another area of the body like the abdomen where the excess fluid is more easily absorbed.

Dr. Rajamand and our neurosurgery team at Battle Born Brain and Spine offer superior medical care for our patients experiencing neurological conditions like hydrocephalus. If you or a loved one have symptoms of hydrocephalus, we offer shunt surgery and other types of hydrocephalus treatment at our medical center near Carson City and Reno, NV. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.