Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the brain and can occur at any age. It is not a single pathological entity but rather the consequence of a variety of congenital and acquired disorders that may affect the central nervous system. Whilst treatment is generally the domain of the neurosurgeon patients will commonly present to the non neurosurgeon not only at the time of initial diagnosis but also with the subsequent complications of hydrocephalus treatment e.g. shunt malfunction. What follows is a broad overview of CSF anatomy and physiology, a simple classification of the causes of hydrocephalus, a description of the mode of presentation and a summary of contemporary surgical management.