- About NHCC - Public Policy - Contact Us Hydrocephalus comes
from the Greek word “hydro,” meaning water, and “cephalous,”
meaning head. It is a neurological condition that exists when
excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up in cavities, called
ventricles, inside the brain. Fluid accumulates in the
ventricles when the body produces more CSF in a day than it can
reabsorb. This accumulation causes enlargement of the
ventricles, resulting in hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus can be
caused by a variety of medical problems. It can be present at
birth, as a result of a congenital condition. For example,
hydrocephalus may occur along with spina bifida, aqueductal
obstruction, arachnoid cysts or Dandy-Walker Syndrome. Acquired
hydrocephalus may occur at any time during a person's life as a
result of intraventricular hemorrhage, meningitis, head injury,
tumours, or an unknown cause. Approximately, eighty per cent of
individuals with spina bifida also have hydrocephalus. If
untreated, hydrocephalus can cause serious brai