Patient's question:
A child had a head circumference of 46.5CM at 9 months and was diagnosed with peripheral hydrocephalus at the Guangzhou Children's Hospital. The ultrasound results showed no deviation of the midline of the brain, a separation of 0.7CM in the longitudinal fissure of the brain, no diffuse light spots in the brain parenchyma, left lateral ventricle of 0.2CM, right lateral ventricle of 0.2CM, and no enlargement of the third and fourth ventricles. The doctor said no treatment was needed, just observation. Now at 18 months, the child only occasionally calls "Mom" and "Dad" unclearly.The child was born prematurely with mild asphyxia. At 9 months, the child was diagnosed with peripheral hydrocephalus at the Guangzhou Children's Hospital. The ultrasound results showed no deviation of the midline of the brain, a separation of 0.7CM in the longitudinal fissure of the brain, no diffuse light spots in the brain parenchyma, left lateral ventricle of 0.2CM, right lateral ventricle of 0.2CM, and no enlargement of the third and fourth ventricles. The doctor said no treatment was needed, just observation. Now at 18 months, the child only occasionally calls "Mom" and "Dad" unclearly.
Doctor's answer:
Hydrocephalus refers to a pathological state where the secretion, circulation, or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid is impaired, leading to an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cranial cavity, causing abnormal expansion of the ventricles and/or subarachnoid space. Its fundamental characteristic is the production of excessive cerebrospinal fluid, which increases intracranial pressure and thereby expands the space normally occupied by cerebrospinal fluid.If hydrocephalus occurs before the cranial sutures close, the head enlargement is abnormally significant. Hydrocephalus present from birth is termed congenital hydrocephalus, while hydrocephalus with a clear cause after birth is referred to as acquired () hydrocephalus. Pediatric hydrocephalus is mostly caused by congenital and inflammatory lesions.
Cases where brain parenchyma undergoes atrophy first due to various reasons, followed by expansion of the ventricles and subarachnoid space with relatively increased cerebrospinal fluid volume, do not fall under the category of hydrocephalus.