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Hydrocephalus - Overview

Alternative Names

Water on the brain

Definition of Hydrocephalus:

Hydrocephalus is a build up of fluid inside the skull, leading to brain swelling. Hydrocephalus means "water on the brain."

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Hydrocephalus is due to a problem with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the liquid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

CSF moves through pathways of the brain called ventricles. It also flows around the outside of the brain and through the spinal canal. Higher-than-normal amounts of CSF can occur in the brain if the flow or absorption of CSF is blocked, or if too much CSF is produced. The build up of fluid puts pressure on the brain, pushing the brain up against the skull and damaging or destroying brain tissues.

Myelomeningocele, a disorder involving incomplete closure of the spinal column, is strongly associated with hydrocephalus.

In young children, hydrocephalus may also be associated with the following conditions:

  • Infections caught before birth
  • Infections that affect the central nervous system (such as meningitis or encephalitis )
  • Injury before, during, or after childbirth, including subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • Congenital defects
  • Tumors of the central nervous system

In older children, risks for hydrocephalus include:

  • History of congenital or developmental defects
  • Lesions or tumors of the brain or spinal cord
  • Central nervous system infections
  • Bleeding anywhere in the brain
  • Injury

Hydrocephalus most often occurs in children, but may also occur in adults and the elderly.

  • Reviewed last on: 12/1/2008
  • Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Kinsman SL, Johnston MV. Congenital anomalies of the central nervous system. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 592.

Golden JA, Bönnemann CG. Developmental structural disorders. In: Goetz, CG, eds. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 28.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
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