Open hydrocephalus is a pathological condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the cavities of the brain due to a violation of its outflow. This leads to increased intracranial pressure and dilation of the cerebral ventricles and subarachnoid spaces.
In the open form of hydrocephalus, the communication between the ventricular system of the brain and the subarachnoid space is preserved. This distinguishes it from the closed form, in which there is an obstruction of the cerebrospinal fluid outflow tracts from the ventricles of the brain.
Open hydrocephalus most often occurs in newborns and young children. Causes may include congenital malformations of the brain, hemorrhages, and infections. In adults, the open form is less common and is usually a consequence of trauma, brain tumors or neuroinfections.
Clinical manifestations of open hydrocephalus: an increase in the size of the head, bulging of a large fontanel, divergence of the sutures of the skull. There are also signs of increased intracranial pressure - headache, vomiting, impaired consciousness, convulsions. Delayed psychomotor and speech development in children is typical.
Diagnosis is based on CT and MRI data of the brain, which reveal ventricular enlargement and impaired cerebrospinal fluid circulation.
Treatment of open hydrocephalus consists of surgery - the application of a ventriculoperitoneal or ventriculoatrial shunt to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles of the brain. With timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable.