What is the condition called? my mother had a mri and they are suggesting she see s neurosurgeon to have a shunt implant to remove fluid/water from the brain. there is a name for her condition but can't remember the initials it goes by. she has memory los

NPH : Nph or normal pressure hydrocephalus is a condition thought to be related to the aging brain's inability to resorb the cerebrospinal fluid normally produced. This results in dilation of the ventricles ( or fluid filled cavities within the brain) ultimately resulting in the triad of incontinence, gait disturbance and dementia ( memory loss most likely). Ventriculoperitoneal shunting is an effective treatment with a reasonable outcome. Many surgeons will perform trial lumbar punctures or spinal taps to confirm that reducing the fluid will help at least temporarily which is thought to increase the likelihood of a good outcome with shunt surgery. Different types of shunt devices are used and in recent years "adjustable" shunt valves have become popular in this application. The normal pressure as opposed to hydrocephalus with high pressure is believed to be due to a relatively slow and insidious course of development of the problem which allows the brain to adjust and change in response to slow build up of the fluid.

As : As described in the answer of my colleague, normal pressure hydrocephalus (nph) is a rather common condition afflicting many patients. The patient should be evaluated by a neurologist, and often a spinal tap can be performed to remove some fluid-volume in assessing the patients probable response to a shunting procedure. If the patient does well after the tap, the chances of a favourable outcome after shunting are very good. The shunting procedure as such is in most cases very low risk and requires only a short surgical procedure and commonly a 1 night hospital stay.

The : The condition goes by several names but when it affects adults, it is called normal pressure hydrocephalus. The brain cannot absorb the spinal fluid at a normal rate. The ventricles of the brain expand giving the symptoms that you describe. The good news is that the shunt can improve the situation in over 70% of cases when patients are selected correctly.