Question 1

years ago i had congenital hydrocephalus, does it have any effect in the later part of my life?

Accepted Answer

Hydrocephalus: A hard question to answer as the lasting effects are based on how quickly you were treated and any problems that you have been left with at this point. A neurosurgeon could do the workup and imaging studies and might be able to give a better answer.

Question 2

what is congenital hydrocephalus?

Accepted Answer

Fluid onthe brain: Being born with enlargement of the fluid spaces around the brain.  Intrauterine infections and errors in brain development are common causes.  An evaluation
by your pediatrician and pediatric neurologist are the only way to get a better answer.

Question 3

my son is 21 months and has congenital hydrocephalus. at what stage do they decide to put a shunt? the latest mri scan shows that he has a cyst that has grown from 6cm at birth to about 12.9cm now.

Accepted Answer

Depends: This depends on the type and effect of the process. The CSF fluid producing process can make 1 tablespoonful of fluid/hr. If the head is expanding rapidly because there is total blockage they would intervene quickly. If not &amp; the kid is otherwise thriving they may feel the risk of both the procedure &amp; the presence of the shunt is more risk than leaving it alone. I would discuss this with his doc.

Question 4

if i have a shunt placed, will having hydrocephalus shorten my life expectancy?

Accepted Answer

Unlikely: A properly functioning shunt should control the effects of hydrocephalus.

Question 5

is it more likely for people w/congenital or acquired hydrocephalus to eventually not be dependent on shunts anymore? communicating/noncommunicating?

Accepted Answer

Hydrocephalus: The reason the people with acquired hydrocephalus come for treatment is their disease which is treated with a shunt.  These individuals will require the shunt life long.  The congenital hydrocephalus group have less than a 5% chance of no longer requiring a shunt.  Shunts work well and there are athletes, scientists, accountants, etc with functioning shunts.

Question 6

an etv or a vp shunt for obstructive hydrocephalus due to congenital aqueductal stenosis in a young adult: which is the most effective option?

Accepted Answer

: The sought outcome is to decompress the intracranial pressure due to the aqueductal obstruction.  Varying neurosurgeons will favor different devices manufactured by several companies.  There is no solitary "most effective option", as many variables must be considered.  Suggest at least two opinions prior to your procedure.

Question 7

in congenital syphillis, could symptoms go unnoticed and what would the child's life expectancy be?

Accepted Answer

Not unnoticed: The symptoms of congenital syphilis are many and typically do not go unnoticed (especially today). However, with proper treatment, people can live normal (and quite full) lives. Perhaps the most famous person with congenital syphilis was british statesman winston churchill. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001344.htm.

Question 8

are congenital disorders of glycosylation progressive disorders with worsening symptoms over time? is there shortened life expectancy?

Accepted Answer

Yes and yes: This is a very complex topic. There are many different forms of the disease affecting many different genes. I would suggest the following as a nice overview about the disease:

http://www.Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov/books/nbk1332/.

Question 9

what is the life expectancy of someone born with congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

Depends: Congenital heart disease can be very minor not warranting therapy or very severe and complex requiring multiple surgeries and procedures. Life expectancy will depend on which type of defect you have.  Consult your pediatric cardiologist.

Question 10

what would the life expectancy of someone with congenital heart disease be?

Accepted Answer

Need more info: Thank you for the question.  Congenital heart disease encompasses an enormous variety of lesions.  Many of those lesions are compatible with average/normal life expectancy while many others are not.  Knowledge of you specific diagnosis, and its severity, are required to give an estimated answer to your question.

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Doctor answers about:

Congenital hydrocephalus life expectancy

A member asked:

Years ago i had congenital hydrocephalus, does it have any effect in the later part of my life?

A member asked:

What is congenital hydrocephalus?

A member asked:

My son is 21 months and has congenital hydrocephalus. at what stage do they decide to put a shunt? the latest mri scan shows that he has a cyst that has grown from 6cm at birth to about 12.9cm now.

A member asked:

If i have a shunt placed, will having hydrocephalus shorten my life expectancy?

A member asked:

Is it more likely for people w/congenital or acquired hydrocephalus to eventually not be dependent on shunts anymore? communicating/noncommunicating?

A member asked:

An etv or a vp shunt for obstructive hydrocephalus due to congenital aqueductal stenosis in a young adult: which is the most effective option?

A member asked:

In congenital syphillis, could symptoms go unnoticed and what would the child's life expectancy be?

A member asked:

Are congenital disorders of glycosylation progressive disorders with worsening symptoms over time? is there shortened life expectancy?

A member asked:

What is the life expectancy of someone born with congenital heart disease?

A member asked:

What would the life expectancy of someone with congenital heart disease be?

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