Hydrocephalus treatment
Hydrocephalus — an abnormal build-up of cerebrospinal fluid inside the brain — can affect newborns, children and adults, causing enlarging head size in infants, or headache, vomiting, visual problems, memory decline and walking difficulty in older patients. Left untreated it can cause permanent damage, but with the right procedure most patients do very well.
Treatment options
- Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) — a keyhole procedure that creates a new internal pathway for fluid, avoiding a permanent implant in suitable patients
- Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt — a thin, programmable tube that diverts excess fluid to the abdomen
- Shunt revision and management of shunt malfunction or infection
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) evaluation in the elderly — a treatable cause of memory loss and gait problems that is often mistaken for dementia
Dr. Shyam favours endoscopic techniques wherever anatomy allows, reducing lifelong dependence on hardware.