Definition

The word hydrocephalus derives from the Greek words hydro, meaning water, and cephalus, meaning head. Hydrocephalus is the result of the excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain. Traditionally, hydrocephalus has been described as a disease characterized by increased intracranial pressure (ICP), increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume, and dilatation of the CSF spaces known as cerebral ventricles.

Description

Hydrocephalus is the result of an imbalance between the formation and drainage of cerebrospinal fluid. This imbalance appears when an injury or illness alters the circulation of CSF; one or more of the ventricles of the brain become enlarged as CSF accumulates. However, hydrocephalus is not a single disease entity, as a wide number of underlying diseases are responsible for causing retention of CSF, resulting in ventricular dilatation and increased intracranial pressure (ICP)....