Patient guides
Hydrocephalus patient guides
Every Hydrocephalus guide in the AURORA library — 50 plain-language articles for patients and families, grouped by topic.
Understanding Hydrocephalus
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Hydrocephalus 101: What It Is and What to Know After Diagnosis
A calm, clear introduction to hydrocephalus — what it is, what causes it, how it's treated, and what a new diagnosis means for you or your child.
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Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF): What It Is and Why It Matters
Learn what cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is, what it does for the brain and spinal cord, and why a problem with its balance leads to hydrocephalus.
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The Ventricular System: How CSF Flows Through the Brain
A simple guide to the brain's ventricular system — the chambers and pathways CSF flows through, and where blockages cause hydrocephalus.
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Types of Hydrocephalus: Communicating vs Obstructive
Understand the main types of hydrocephalus — communicating vs obstructive (non-communicating) — and why the distinction guides treatment.
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Congenital Hydrocephalus: When It's Present from Birth
Learn about congenital hydrocephalus — present at or before birth — including common causes, how it's found, treatment, and outlook for babies.
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Acquired Hydrocephalus: When It Develops Later in Life
Learn about acquired hydrocephalus — developing after birth from bleeding, infection, injury, or tumors — including causes, symptoms, and treatment.
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Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH): A Treatable Cause of…
Learn about normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) — an often-missed condition in older adults causing walking, memory, and bladder problems that can improve…
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What Causes Hydrocephalus
A clear overview of what causes hydrocephalus — from congenital conditions to bleeding, infection, tumors, and injury — across babies, children, and adults.
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Aqueductal Stenosis: A Common Cause of Obstruction
Learn about aqueductal stenosis — a narrowing of the brain's cerebral aqueduct that blocks CSF flow and causes obstructive hydrocephalus.
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Related Conditions: Chiari, Spina Bifida, and Dandy-Walker
Learn how hydrocephalus connects to related conditions — Chiari malformation, spina bifida, and Dandy-Walker malformation — and what that means.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
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Signs and Symptoms of Hydrocephalus: Why They Vary by Age
Learn the signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus and why they look so different in babies, children, adults, and older adults.
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Hydrocephalus in Babies: Signs Every Parent Should Know
Learn the signs of hydrocephalus in babies and infants — including head size, the soft spot, sunsetting eyes, and feeding changes — and when to seek help.
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Hydrocephalus in Children: Symptoms and Red Flags
Learn the symptoms of hydrocephalus in children — headaches, vomiting, vision and balance changes, and school or behavior changes — and the red flags to act…
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Hydrocephalus in Adults: Recognizing the Signs
Learn the symptoms of hydrocephalus in adults — headaches, vision changes, balance problems, cognitive difficulties — and when to seek medical care.
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The NPH Triad: Walking, Thinking, and Bladder Changes
Understand the normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) triad — gait disturbance, cognitive changes, and urinary symptoms — and why walking often improves most…
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Hydrocephalus Emergencies: When to Seek Urgent Care
Learn the warning signs of a hydrocephalus or shunt emergency — in babies, children, and adults — and when to seek immediate medical care.
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How Hydrocephalus Is Diagnosed
Learn how hydrocephalus is diagnosed — from neurological exams and head measurements to CT, MRI, ultrasound, and tests for NPH.
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Brain Imaging for Hydrocephalus: CT and MRI Explained
Learn how CT and MRI scans are used to diagnose and monitor hydrocephalus — what each shows, how they differ, and what to expect during the scan.
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Cranial Ultrasound: Checking for Hydrocephalus in Babies
Learn how cranial ultrasound is used to check for hydrocephalus in babies — a safe, radiation-free scan possible while the soft spot is open.
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Diagnosing NPH: The Tap Test and Spinal Drainage
Learn how normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is diagnosed — including the spinal tap test and extended spinal drainage that help predict shunt benefit.
Treatment
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Hydrocephalus Treatment Overview
An overview of how hydrocephalus is treated — shunts, endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), and temporary drainage — and how the right option is chosen.
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Shunts Explained: How They Treat Hydrocephalus
Learn what a shunt is and how it treats hydrocephalus — its parts (catheters and valve), how it drains excess CSF, and why it's the most common treatment.
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Types of Shunts: VP, VA, LP, and More
Learn the main types of shunts used for hydrocephalus — ventriculoperitoneal (VP), ventriculoatrial (VA), lumboperitoneal (LP), and others — and how they…
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Programmable Shunt Valves: Adjustable Without Surgery
Learn how programmable (adjustable) shunt valves work — letting doctors change CSF drainage settings without surgery — plus magnet precautions and MRI notes.
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Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV): Surgery Without a…
Learn about endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) — a procedure that treats certain hydrocephalus by creating a new CSF pathway, without implanting a shunt.
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ETV With Choroid Plexus Cauterization (ETV/CPC)
Learn about ETV with choroid plexus cauterization (ETV/CPC) — a combined procedure used especially in infants to treat hydrocephalus while reducing CSF…
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Shunt Surgery: What to Expect Before, During, and After
A clear walkthrough of shunt surgery for hydrocephalus — preparation, what happens during the operation, recovery, and what to watch for afterward.
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ETV Surgery: What to Expect
A clear walkthrough of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) surgery — preparation, the procedure, recovery, and what to watch for afterward.
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Treating Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Learn how normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is treated — shunt surgery, what to expect, and realistic outcomes for walking, thinking, and bladder symptoms.
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External Ventricular Drain (EVD): Temporary CSF Drainage
Learn what an external ventricular drain (EVD) is — a temporary device that drains CSF and relieves pressure in urgent situations or while planning…
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Shunt vs ETV: How Treatment Decisions Are Made
Understand how doctors choose between a shunt and an ETV for hydrocephalus — the factors that matter, the trade-offs of each, and how the decision is…
Living With Treatment and Complications
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Living With a Shunt: What Daily Life Looks Like
Learn what everyday life with a shunt is really like — activities, work, school, what you can feel, precautions, and living confidently with hydrocephalus.
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Shunt Malfunction: Recognizing the Warning Signs
Learn to recognize the warning signs of a shunt malfunction in babies, children, and adults — and why prompt action can be life-saving.
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Shunt Infection: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
Learn about shunt infection — its symptoms, why it most often occurs soon after surgery, how it's treated, and the steps taken to prevent it.
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Over-Drainage and Under-Drainage: When Shunts Drain Wrong
Learn about shunt over-drainage and under-drainage — when a shunt drains too much or too little CSF — including symptoms and how adjustable valves help.
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Shunt Revision Surgery: Why Shunts Sometimes Need Fixing
Learn about shunt revision surgery — why shunts sometimes need repair or replacement, what the surgery involves, and what to expect afterward.
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When ETV Stops Working: Recognizing ETV Failure
Learn about ETV failure — when the opening created by an endoscopic third ventriculostomy closes or becomes inadequate — including warning signs and what…
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Sports, Activities, and Travel With a Shunt
Learn what activities, sports, and travel are possible with a shunt — what's encouraged, sensible precautions, and how to travel confidently with…
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MRI Safety With a Programmable Shunt
Learn how MRI scans affect programmable shunt valves, why you must tell the MRI team about your shunt, and why the valve setting is checked and reset…
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Shunt Emergencies: When to Go to the ER
Know when a shunt problem is an emergency — the warning signs in babies, children, and adults that mean you should go to the ER right away.
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Long-Term Follow-Up and Monitoring
Learn what long-term follow-up for hydrocephalus involves — regular check-ups, imaging, monitoring a shunt or ETV, and why ongoing care matters for life.
Special Situations and Populations
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Post-Hemorrhagic Hydrocephalus in Premature Babies
Learn about post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus in premature babies — how brain bleeding (IVH) can lead to hydrocephalus, how it's monitored, and how it's treated.
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Post-Traumatic and Post-Infectious Hydrocephalus
Learn how hydrocephalus can develop after head injury or after infections like meningitis — why it happens, how it's recognized, and how it's treated.
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Hydrocephalus and Child Development: Learning and Cognition
Learn how hydrocephalus can affect a child's development, learning, and cognition — what to watch for, how to support your child, and reasons for hope.
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Hydrocephalus and Pregnancy
Learn what to know about pregnancy with hydrocephalus and a shunt — planning, monitoring, possible considerations, and why many women have healthy…
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Hydrocephalus Ex Vacuo: When "Extra" Fluid Isn't Hydrocephalus
Learn what hydrocephalus ex vacuo means — enlarged ventricles caused by brain tissue loss rather than a CSF problem — and why it usually isn't treated with…
Outlook and Living Well
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Hydrocephalus Prognosis and Long-Term Outlook
A compassionate, realistic look at the long-term outlook for hydrocephalus — and why prognosis depends far more on the cause than on hydrocephalus itself.
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Living Well With Hydrocephalus: Emotional Health and Support
Hydrocephalus affects more than the body. Learn about the emotional side of living with a lifelong condition and where to find real support.
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Caring for Someone With NPH or Hydrocephalus
Practical guidance for caregivers supporting a loved one with hydrocephalus or NPH — from watching for warning signs to protecting your own wellbeing.
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Questions to Ask Your Neurosurgeon About Hydrocephalus
A practical checklist of questions to ask your neurosurgeon about hydrocephalus — covering diagnosis, treatment, surgery, warning signs, and daily life.
Hydrocephalus glossary — 265 terms defined in plain language
All AURORA medical definitions
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