Brain · CSF Disorders
Hydrocephalus Treatment in Faridabad
Whether it is a baby with a growing head or a grandparent who has begun to shuffle and forget, fluid build-up in the brain is often treatable.
हाइड्रोसेफलस में दिमाग के अंदर पानी (CSF) जमा हो जाता है। बच्चों में सिर का तेज़ी से बढ़ना और बुज़ुर्गों में चलने में दिक्कत, भूलना और पेशाब पर नियंत्रण कम होना इसके संकेत हो सकते हैं।
Understanding Hydrocephalus
The brain floats in a clear liquid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is made inside fluid spaces called ventricles and constantly drains away. Hydrocephalus means this fluid has built up, usually because its pathway is blocked or it is not absorbed properly. The ventricles enlarge and press on the surrounding brain.
It can appear at any age. Babies may be born with it or develop it after prematurity, infection or bleeding. In adults it may follow a brain haemorrhage, meningitis, head injury or a tumour blocking the fluid channels. A slow form called normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) affects older people and is easily mistaken for ageing, Parkinson's disease or dementia.
Hydrocephalus is one of the more treatable causes of walking and memory problems. The two main operations are endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), which creates a new internal drainage route, and a shunt, a thin tube that diverts fluid to the abdomen. Which suits a person depends on the cause, age and scan findings.
Common symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person. Having one of these does not mean you have this condition.
Head size rising faster than expected, with a tense, bulging soft spot.
Often worse on waking.
Eyes drifting downward in babies; blurred or double vision later in life.
In NPH, feet seem stuck to the floor and turning is unsteady.
Forgetfulness and poor attention, developing gradually.
Typically appears after walking problems in NPH.
Possible causes & risk factors
A small channel between ventricles may be narrow from birth, blocking fluid flow.
Haemorrhage, including in premature newborns, can clog the drainage pathways.
Meningitis, including tuberculous meningitis, can scar the fluid spaces.
A growth near the ventricles may block CSF flow.
Most NPH has no clear trigger; age and blood-vessel risk factors may play a part.
When to seek help
Book a routine consultation
- An elderly parent whose walk has slowly become a shuffle, with memory or bladder changes
- Enlarged ventricles reported on a CT or MRI done for another reason
- A child's head size crossing growth-chart lines at check-ups
Seek emergency care
- Severe headache with repeated vomiting and drowsiness — go to the nearest emergency department or call 112
- A baby with a bulging soft spot, persistent vomiting or eyes fixed downward
- A shunt patient with headache, vomiting, fever, redness along the tube or reduced alertness
- Seizures, sudden vision loss or difficulty waking
How it is diagnosed
Shows the size of the ventricles and often the reason for the blockage.
Done through the soft spot; quick, radiation-free and easy to repeat.
Some CSF is removed from the lower back; if walking clearly improves, a shunt is more likely to help.
Timed walking and memory tests track change over time.
Available treatment options
Treatment is chosen after examining you and studying your scans. Many people do well without an operation.
Mildly enlarged ventricles without symptoms may simply be followed with scans.
Infection, bleeding or a tumour may need its own treatment, which sometimes restores fluid flow.
Using a thin neuroendoscope through a small opening, a tiny hole is made in the floor of the third ventricle so fluid bypasses the blockage — without implanted hardware.
A thin tube with a valve drains CSF from the brain to the abdomen, where it is absorbed. It is the usual choice for NPH and for types where ETV is unlikely to work.
In emergencies, a drain may relieve pressure until a long-term plan is decided.
When neurosurgery may be recommended
- Symptoms clearly caused by fluid build-up, confirmed on imaging
- Rising pressure in a child — growing head, vomiting or developmental slowing
- NPH with walking improvement after a tap test
- A blocked or infected existing shunt
Procedure overview
A simplified outline. The exact steps depend on your scans and the approach chosen.
- Choosing ETV or shuntAnatomy, age and cause decide which is likely to work.
- General anaesthesiaBoth operations are done fully asleep through small incisions.
- Creating the drainage routeFor ETV, the endoscope enters the ventricle; for a shunt, the tube is tunnelled under the skin to the abdomen.
- Scan and valve checkA scan confirms position; programmable valves can be adjusted later in clinic.
Potential benefits, risks & limitations
Potential benefits
- May improve walking, memory and bladder control in NPH
- Relieves pressure and protects development in children
- ETV may avoid lifelong dependence on a shunt
Possible risks
- Shunt blockage needing revision, which is common over a lifetime
- Infection of the shunt or wound
- Over-drainage causing headache
- Bleeding inside the brain
- The ETV opening closing over time
Not everyone improves after surgery, and memory in NPH responds less reliably than walking.
Recovery & follow-up
Many patients go home within a few days. Older adults with NPH often notice walking change first; memory and bladder may improve later or only partly.
Anyone with a shunt should know its warning signs for life. Families in Palwal, Ballabhgarh and NIT Faridabad should identify a nearby emergency hospital.
Why consult Dr. Naresh Panwar
- Holds a Fellowship in Neuroendoscopy, the technique used for ETV
- Neuro-endoscopy is listed among his specialisations at Sarvodaya Hospital, Faridabad
- MS from King George's Medical University, Lucknow, followed by MCh in Neurosurgery at SMS Medical College, Jaipur
- More than a decade of neurosurgical practice in Faridabad, Delhi and Lucknow hospitals
Questions to ask your surgeon
Write these down and bring them to your appointment.
- Is my hydrocephalus obstructive or communicating, and what does that change?
- Is ETV possible, or is a shunt more suitable?
- Will the shunt valve be programmable?
- What signs of shunt failure should we watch for?
- How will improvement be measured after NPH surgery?
Frequently asked questions
Is memory loss in an elderly parent always dementia?
Not always. NPH causes walking difficulty, memory change and bladder problems, and unlike many dementias it can sometimes improve with a shunt.
Kya bachche ke sir mein pani bina operation theek ho sakta hai?
Kuch halki ya stable sthitiyon mein sirf nigrani ki jaati hai. Lekin agar sir tezi se badh raha ho ya ulti ho rahi ho, toh aksar ETV ya shunt ki zaroorat padti hai.
Does a shunt last forever?
It is designed to stay long term, but blockages and infections happen, and many people need at least one revision at some stage.
Is ETV preferable to a shunt?
Neither suits everyone. ETV avoids hardware but works mainly for blockages at a particular point and is less reliable in young infants. Read how neuroendoscopy works for more.
We live in Ballabhgarh. What should we bring to the first visit?
Bring scans, reports, a medicine list and a short phone video of your relative walking. Consultations are at Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector 8; call +91 96608 88640 to confirm timings.
Related care & reading
Appointments
Your brain and spine health deserve a carefully considered plan.
Request a consultation with Dr. Naresh Panwar at Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector 8, Faridabad. Bring your MRI or CT scans and reports, and the care team will help you prepare.