If changes in cardiac function can increase
brain compliance
and exacerbate hydrocephalus, and chronic hydrocephalus can result in congestive heart failure, then chronic hydrocephalus and chronic car- diac failure may represent a vicious pathophysiologic cycle in the elderly.
What are the long term effects of hydrocephalus?
This can cause several long-term complications, such as:
learning disabilities
.
speech problems
.
memory problems
.
What problems can hydrocephalus cause?
In hydrocephalus, the build-up of CSF can
raise pressure inside the skull
, which squashes surrounding brain tissue. In some cases, this can cause the head to steadily grow in size, convulsions, and brain damage. Hydrocephalus can be fatal if left untreated.
What will happen if hydrocephalus is not treated?
Without treatment, hydrocephalus results in
compromised mental functioning
, visual disturbances, walking difficulty, incontinence, and reduced conscious state.
What is the life expectancy of someone with hydrocephalus?
Survival in untreated hydrocephalus is poor. Approximately,
50% of the affected patients die before three years of age
and approximately 80% die before reaching adulthood. Treatment markedly improves the outcome for hydrocephalus not associated with tumors, with 89% and 95% survival in two case studies.
Can hydrocephalus go away?
Hydrocephalus is a chronic condition. It can be controlled,
but usually not cured
. With appropriate early treatment, however, many people with hydrocephalus lead normal lives with few limitations.
Is hydrocephalus considered a disability?
You
cannot get disability automatically
for hydrocephalus because it is not a specifically listed condition in Social Security’s “blue book” of listed impairments.
What causes death in untreated hydrocephalus?
In untreated hydrocephalus, death may occur by
tonsillar herniation secondary to raised ICP with compression of the brain stem and subsequent respiratory arrest
.
Does hydrocephalus affect memory?
Among adults 60 years of age and older, the more common signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus are: Loss of bladder control or a frequent urge to urinate.
Memory loss
. Progressive loss of other thinking or reasoning skills.
Why is hydrocephalus more serious in adults?
When hydrocephalus occurs in adults, CSF levels rise but the amount of pressure is usually normal. It still causes the brain to swell and
can lead to impaired functioning
. In adults, this condition usually results from conditions that prevent CSF from flowing.
How old is the oldest person with hydrocephalus?
The longest living hydrocephalic is Theresa Alvina Schaan (Canada) who was born on the
17 March 1941
and diagnosed with having congenital hydrocephalus.
Can hydrocephalus cause personality changes?
NPH patients may develop symptoms with
frontal dominance
, such as personality changes, anxiety, depression, psychotic syndromes, obsessive compulsive disorder, Othello syndrome; shoplifting and mania. Unusual appearances of NPH symptoms may hinder early diagnosis and consequently proper treatment.
Does hydrocephalus run in families?
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (say: hi-drosef-uh-lus; or NPH for short) is a rare, but sometimes treatable, cause of dementia. It mainly affects people older than 60.
It does not run in families
.
Does hydrocephalus affect intelligence?
The common outcome of early hydrocephalus is an
uneven growth of intelligence during childhood
, with nonverbal intelligence developing less well than verbal intelligence.
How is hydrocephalus treated without surgery?
Hydrocephalus is usually treated by
placing an extracranial CSF shunt
. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy, however, has been revived recently as a less invasive method for treatment.
Can a person with hydrocephalus drive?
Hydrocephalus typically affects
visual acuity, coordination, judgment, and concentration
, all of the skills which are necessary to drive. Just learning how to coordinate between controlling the steering wheel and applying the accelerator or brake can be a daunting task when you have poor motor skills.
