What is Vacuo dilatation?

Hydrocephalus ex vacuo, also known as compensatory enlargement of the CSF spaces, is a term used to describe the increase in the volume of CSF, characterized on images as an enlargement of cerebral ventricles and subarachnoid spaces, caused by encephalic volume loss.

Is hydrocephalus ex vacuo the same as normal pressure hydrocephalus?

Definition: Hydrocephalus ex vacuo is often classified as a form of hydrocephalus, however, this is a misnomer as it is not a true hydrocephalus. The ventricles and subarachnoid space appear enlarged secondary to loss of brain tissue; however, intracranial pressure and flow of cerebrospinal fluid are normal.

What is dilated lateral ventricles?

Ventriculomegaly is a brain condition that mainly occurs in the fetus when the lateral ventricles become dilated. The most common definition uses a width of the atrium of the lateral ventricle of greater than 10 mm. This occurs in around 1\% of pregnancies.

How is hydrocephalus ex vacuo treated?

Treatment of hydrocephalus involves the insertion of a shunt to let the excess fluid exit and relieve the pressure on the brain. The shunt is a flexible, plastic tube with a one-way valve.

What is normal pressure hydrocephalus?

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a brain disorder in which excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulates in the brain’s ventricles, causing thinking and reasoning problems, difficulty walking, and loss of bladder control.

What types of hydrocephalus are there?

The two major types of hydrocephalus are called communicating hydrocephalus and non-communicating hydrocephalus. Communicating hydrocephalus occurs when the flow of CSF is blocked after it exits the ventricles.

What does the lateral ventricles do?

3.2 Choroid plexus and cerebrospinal fluid The lateral ventricle choroid plexus (LVCP) is responsible for the production of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that flows through the ventricles of the brain.

Can enlarged ventricles cause headaches?

Hydrocephalus that develops in children or adults (acquired hydrocephalus) can cause headaches. The headache may be worse when you wake up in the morning. This is because the fluid in your brain does not drain as well while you’re lying down and may have built up overnight.

What is the life expectancy of someone with hydrocephalus?

Survival in untreated hydrocephalus is poor. Approximately, 50\% of the affected patients die before three years of age and approximately 80\% die before reaching adulthood. Treatment markedly improves the outcome for hydrocephalus not associated with tumors, with 89\% and 95\% survival in two case studies.