Treatment
This system is normally placed in children to drain CSF to another part of the body.
What is a shunt system?
An infant's cry will sound like this when hydrocephalus is present.
What is high-pitched?
What are ventricles?
This delivers nutrients and primarily glucose to the brain.
What is CSF?
This is the most definitive diagnosis for hydrocephalus.
What is a CT and MRI?
This form of shunt system is not used as often and may lead to endocarditis.
What is a ventricular atrial shunt or AV shunt?
These include: headache, confusion, vomiting, dizziness, irritability, personality changes, papilledema, gait disturbance and change in LOC.
What are signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus in an adult?
After a shunt revision, the HOB needs to be at this level.
What is flat or 15 degrees?
The CSF fluid will compensate due to changes in this volume. That is not brain tissue.
What is blood volume?
This is measured in infants at least once a shift as a clinical manifestation due to sutures that have to be closed.
What is head circumference measurement?
You want to reposition the child and do a neuro assessment this often during pre-operative monitoring.
What is every 2 hours?
This will normally lead to meningitis.
What is a shunt infection?
The main causes of hydrocephalus include: Meningitis, Stroke, Brain tumors and...
What is head trauma?
If the CSF cannot flow through the ventricles of the brain and spinal cord and be reabsorbed by the body, it will do this, causing hydrocephalus.
What is backing up onto the brain?
Shunts normally fail in the first how many months?
What is 2 months?
This involves drilling a hole in the bottom of the ventricles so that the CSF can flow through the hole to be reabsorbed by the body.
What is a ventriculostomy?
This needs to be checked every 4 hours in an external shunt and drain it from the bag
What is CSF?
This is the most common cause for shunt malfunction.
What is an obstruction?
This type of hydrocephalus occurs after the time of birth, not present at birth.
What is acquired?
In infants, they may have eyes that look like this due to increased pressure.
What are sunset eyes?
If an EVD is placed too high, this will happen.
What is draining slower?
If an EVD is placed too low, this will happen.
What is draining too fast?
In the presence of a shunt infection, this is the primary treatment.
What is shunt removal and externalization?
This form of hydrocephalus is present at birth or caused by something during development.
What is the tragus?