Hydrocephalus Birth Injury Explained

Library Articles | October 19, 2017

If this article sounds similar to a recent experience that you or a loved one have suffered from, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call 859-578-4444 to schedule a free consultation!

Hydrocephalus at Birth – Understand This Type of Kentucky Birth Injury

Hydrocephalus. It’s not a word you often hear. In fact, it’s a word that most people don’t even know. Yet, for parents who have children suffering from this condition, it is a word that can change life forever.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines hydrocephalus as “a condition in which the primary characteristic is excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain.” This life threatening condition has also been referred to as “water on the brain,” but it is important to understand that the “water” is really cerebrospinal fluid. When someone suffers from hydrocephalus, he or she may experience abnormal widening of the ventricles in the brain. The outcome can be catastrophic.

Hydrocephalus impacts about 1 in every 500 children.

Hydrocephalus is one of the conditions that is still somewhat of a mystery. Medical experts do not fully understand all of the potential causes of this disorder. Some of the causes that have been identified include:

  • Premature birth complications
  • Cerebral hemorrhage, also known as bleeding in the brain
  • Bacterial infection
  • Head trauma
  • Brain tumor

Many of the above factors are frequently caused by medical malpractice.

There are treatment options for hydrocephalus.

The good news for patients suffering from hydrocephalus is that there are treatments available. One of the most common treatments is a procedure in which a shunt system is inserted in the brain. The shunt system consists of a shunt (a flexible plastic tube), catheter and valve. This treatment is designed to reroute the flow of cerebral spinal fluid to another area of the body.

Another treatment option for hydrocephalus is known as a third ventriculostomy. It is a procedure in which a small hole is created in the third ventricle. A neuroendoscope (a small camera) is used to locate the surgical site. The hole helps the fluid flow around the obstruction in the brain.

You have rights if your child suffered a birth injury.

If your child developed hydrocephalus following a birth injury, you may have a medical malpractice claim. It is important that you speak with a Louisville birth injury attorney as soon as possible.

Contact the Law Office of Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery at (859) 578-4444 or (888) 606-5297 for a free case evaluation. We have been representing injured victims and their families in Ohio and Kentucky for more than 35 years.

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