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Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is a condition where cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain. It is more common in children, but it can also occur in adults. This category is for questions about Hydrocephalus.

360 Questions

What are the affects of drinking alcohol with hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

you throw up, pee alot, have unbelievable gas, and get bad depression. But the buzz of the drinks feel alot better than just alcohol alone.

What is the cpt code for insertion of a cerebrofluid ventriculoperitoneal shunt for hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

63740
Which is the appropriate way for a general surgeon to submit charges for this--62223-62 (Creation of shunt; ventriculo-peritoneal, -pleural, other terminus) , or 49324 (Laparoscopy, surgical; with insertion of intraperitoneal cannula or catheter, permanent)?

The description of 62223 in Coder's Desk Reference is not especially helpful. I know what my inclination would be, but I'd like a really concise explanation that I can show to other people. I have never been able to find a satisfactory answer to this question.

KPollockVentriculoperitoneal shunt placementPosted:

Aug 3 2010, 9:17 PMCPT 62223 includes placing the ventricular (brain) portion as well as the peritoneal (abdomen) catheter of the shunt. So if two different surgeons perform different parts of the same CPT code, as in the scenario you suggest, then each reports 62223-62.

Kim Pollock, RN, MBA, CPC KarenZupko & Associates, Inc. www.karenzupko.comWhich is the appropriate way for a general surgeon to submit charges for this--62223-62 (Creation of shunt; ventriculo-peritoneal, -pleural, other terminus) , or 49324 (Laparoscopy, surgical; with insertion of intraperitoneal cannula or catheter, permanent)?

The description of 62223 in Coder's Desk Reference is not especially helpful. I know what my inclination would be, but I'd like a really concise explanation that I can show to other people. I have never been able to find a satisfactory answer to this question.

KPollockVentriculoperitoneal shunt placementPosted:

Aug 3 2010, 9:17 PMCPT 62223 includes placing the ventricular (brain) portion as well as the peritoneal (abdomen) catheter of the shunt. So if two different surgeons perform different parts of the same CPT code, as in the scenario you suggest, then each reports 62223-62.

Kim Pollock, RN, MBA, CPC KarenZupko & Associates, Inc. www.karenzupko.com

Which is the appropriate way for a general surgeon to submit charges for this--62223-62 (Creation of shunt; ventriculo-peritoneal, -pleural, other terminus) , or 49324 (Laparoscopy, surgical; with insertion of intraperitoneal cannula or catheter, permanent)?

The description of 62223 in Coder's Desk Reference is not especially helpful. I know what my inclination would be, but I'd like a really concise explanation that I can show to other people. I have never been able to find a satisfactory answer to this question.

Posted:

Aug 3 2010, 9:17 PM CPT 62223 includes placing the ventricular (brain) portion as well as the peritoneal (abdomen) catheter of the shunt. So if two different surgeons perform different parts of the same CPT code, as in the scenario you suggest, then each reports 62223-62.

Kim Pollock, RN, MBA, CPC KarenZupko & Associates, Inc. www.karenzupko.com

How does hydrocephalus affect the communication ability of an affected individual?

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Asked by Wiki User

Whether or not comprehension and/or speech are affected depends on the severity of the hydrocephaly and the extent of brain tissue damage. When the higher intellectual functions are affected (comprehension), it's due to tissue damage to that area of the brain that is responsible for that function. Same for adverse effects to Broca's area. In some cases, it may be auditory function that's been affected. If you understand what hydrocephalus is to begin with then it's almost self-explanatory.

Can cervical spinal stenosis which causes the thecal sac to be fully compressed around the spinal cord cause hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

It certainly could... long after you became a quadrplegic, though..

What is a common cause of congenital hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

Hydrocephalus is usually the result of one or more brain disorders within the skull, refer link below.

Does your baby have hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

for information regarding this subject go to the link below (Hydrocephalus Fact Sheet)

Can a person suffering from hydrocephalus without shunt travel by air?

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Asked by Neerajmarwah

Yes! Some get a slight headache due to the pressure differences, but others have no problems at all. Some people use a Dr's not to get the wand instead of going through the metal detector in order to avoid the magnetic field interfering with the shunt setting. However, my son has never had a problem.

Can you claim disabilaty for hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

Hydrocephalus is a condition which can be disabling or can cause disabilities if it cannot be managed. Medications can be prescribed and some times a shunt is installed in the head so that fluid is able to be removed so that the brain does not have increased pressure on it.

If hydrocephalus is managed, then the symptoms can be managed as well, and it is less disabling - the person can live a normal life. If it is not able to be managed, then the symptoms can be extremely disabling: headaches, vision disturbance, seizures, memory loss, personality changes, difficulty walking.

If hydrocephalus is severe during infancy it can cause brain damage and physical disabilities. In less severe cases, it can cause developmental delays, which can lay the groundwork for disability.

How long does a person with hydrocephalus live?

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Asked by Wiki User

My niece had died from this. she was only 4 months old at the time. she would have been a year old this past September. I've heard that recently that most children will not live after the age 30 but some may and if they do then they are very lucky

What is the most common sign of hydrocephalus in infants?

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Asked by GaleEncyofMedicine

Answer I should really copy some of my research taken from some areas of the website, but this appeared to be a public awareness site and if you are the parents of a baby with Hydrocephalus I know you are waiting for some explanations so I have given you the following: Hydrocephalus in Infants and Children

Hydrocephalus in infants and young children is frequently diagnosed at birth or shortly thereafter, but sometimes it is not diagnosed until the child is a little older.

With the advent of sophisticated imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography, hydrocephalus can be diagnosed in utero, before the baby is born. Read more about prenatal hydrocephalus.

Signs and Symptoms of Hydrocephalus

In an infant, the most obvious sign of hydrocephalus is an abnormal enlargement of the baby's head. The soft spot (fontanel) may be tense and bulging. The scalp may appear thin and glistening, and the scalp veins may appear to have unnatural fullness (prominence), as well. When you feel your baby's head along the suture lines, you may find that the bones are separated. Symptoms to watch for are vomiting, sleepiness, irritability and downward deviation of the baby's eyes (the sunsetting sign).

Toddlers whose sutures have not yet closed also show the signs of head enlargement. Older toddlers and children, once their sutures have closed, will show other symptoms of raised intracranial pressure (ICP) caused by their enlarged ventricles. Often these symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting and sometimes blurred or double vision. The child might have problems with balance, delayed development in such areas as walking or talking, or poor coordination. As with infants, a child may be more irritable or tired than normal. The child may show a change in personality or be unable to concentrate or remember things, and their school performance may decline. Older children may have difficulty waking up and staying awake. While at times the symptoms are very noticeable, other times they can be very subtle and progress so slowly that only in retrospect are they appreciated.

Causes of Hydrocephalus

A variety of medical problems can cause hydrocephalus. In many children the problem is there at birth - this kind of hydrocephalus is referred to as congenital. Most cases of congenital hydrocephalus are thought to be caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Hydrocephalus that develops later in life in some children, and even in adults, but is caused by a condition that existed at birth, is still considered a form of congenital hydrocephalus. When hydrocephalus develops after birth and is caused by a factor such as head injury, meningitis or a brain tumor, it is termed acquired hydrocephalus. Parents must not blame themselves for their child's hydrocephalus. In almost all cases the circumstances contributing to a child's condition are beyond the parent's control.

Aqueductal Obstruction (Stenosis): The most common cause of congenital hydrocephalus is obstruction of the cerebral aqueduct - the long, narrow passageway between the third and fourth ventricle. Aqueductal obstruction may result from narrowing or blockage of the aqueduct, or may be caused by infection, hemorrhage or a tumor. Fluid accumulates upstream from the obstruction, producing hydrocephalus.

Neural Tube Defects, or Myelomeningocele: Although commonly used, the term "spina bifida" is better replaced by the term "neural tube defect," or NTD. A myelomeningocele is an open NTD wherein the spinal cord is exposed at birth and is often lacking CSF. This form of NTD is associated with widespread abnormalities of the central nervous system, including the Chiari II malformation and hydrocephalus that occur in 90 percent of NTDs. In the Chiari II malformation, part of the cerebellum and the fourth ventricle extend downward through the opening at the base of the skull, blocking the flow out of the fourth ventricle and therefore producing hydrocephalus.

Intraventricular hemorrhage is an acquired form of hydrocephalus and most frequently affects premature newborns. It occurs when small blood vessels lying alongside the ventricular lining rupture. Blood may block or scar the ventricles or may plug the arachnoid villi, the sites of CSF absorption along the sagittal sinus.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. It may be caused by bacterial infections or, less frequently, viral infections, which can scar the delicate membranes that line the CSF pathway. Hydrocephalus may develop following meningitis if this scarring restricts or obstructs the flow of CSF as it passes through the narrow passageways of the ventricles or as it passes over the surfaces of the brain in the subarachnoid space.

A head injury can damage the brain's tissues, nerves or blood vessels. Blood from these ruptured vessels may enter the CSF pathways. Because this blood causes inflammation, there may be scarring of the meninges, or blood cells may block the CSF absorptive sites. When this occurs, the CSF flow becomes restricted and hydrocephalus develops.

Tumors: In children, brain tumors most commonly occur in the back of the brain (posterior fossa). As a tumor grows it may fill or compress the fourth ventricle, blocking the flow of spinal fluid. In other areas of the brain a tumor may similarly block or compress the ventricular system, causing hydrocephalus.

Arachnoid cysts are congenital in origin and may occur anywhere in the brain. In children, they are often located in the back of the brain and in the region of the third ventricle. They are CSF-filled cysts that are lined with the arachnoid membrane (one of the three meningeal coverings). Some arachnoid cysts are self-contained, while others may be connected by a passageway with the ventricles or subarachnoid space. The entrapped fluid may block the CSF pathways, producing hydrocephalus.

Dandy-Walker Syndrome: In the Dandy-Walker syndrome, the fourth ventricle is enlarged because of partial or complete closure of its outlets. In addition, a portion of the cerebellum fails to develop. The Dandy-Walker syndrome can be associated with abnormal, or a lack of, development of other parts of the brain as well. Obstruction at the aqueduct may also occur If you would like further information please go to: www.hydroassoc.org/information/infant.html There are many new ways to help a baby with hydrocephalus and you should read about it all on the site I have provided. God Bless

How Hydrocephalus may result from?

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Asked by Wiki User

Conditions responsible for hydrocephalus in a fetus include infantile congenital (present at birth) hydrocephalus, hydrocephalus associated with encephalocele or myelomeningocele, posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in newborns.

Can someone with hydrocephalus donate blood?

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Asked by Wiki User

no. They will turn you away just in case the blood loss somehow causes a loss of consciousness.

Are there environmental factors that can cause hydrocephalus in cattle or is it always a genetic condition?

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Asked by Wiki User

http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/pdfs/bch/01900.pdf " Many of these are caused by varying amounts of genetic influence; others are caused by environmental conditions or an interaction between the animal's genetic makeup and the environment in which it lives." " 2. Water head (internal hydrocephalus). Excess fluid is present in the brain (Figure 2). Calves are usually born dead or die shortly after birth. Environmental factors can cause the disease, as well as being inherited as a simple recessive trait."

What is a nursing diagnosis for hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

Hydrocephalus is usually the result of another problem within the skull. The symptoms of the underlying problem, coupled with the symptoms of hydrocephalus, can produce a wide variety of effects of varying intensity.

Some links below.

What are the symptoms of normal pressure hydrocephalus?

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Asked by GaleEncyofMedicine

dementia, gait abnormalities, and incontinence (involuntary urination or bowel movements).

Do people with Spina Bifida Occulta have hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

Not usually, spina bifida is due to a neural tube defect, and hydrocephalus is due to completely different causes.

Why does hydrocephalus cause learning impairment?

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Asked by GaleEncyofMedicine

Hydrocephalus can cause learning impairment by putting pressure on the brain.

How is pain controlled for a patient with hydrocephalus?

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Asked by Wiki User

Ask your Neurosurgeon, he is the only one qualified to answer any question regarding hydrocephalus... not your pcp or your family member nor the internet.