According to the Mayo Clinic, treatment goals for Hydrocephalus focus on re-establishing the balance between cerebrospinal fluid production (CSF) and reabsorption. The most common method is to insert a shunt.
Shunt
A shunt diverts the CSF. It consists of a flexible silicone rubber tube (the shunt) and a valve. This artificial channel allows CSF to flow away from the brain to elsewhere in the body, where it can be absorbed.
A successful shunt system allows an infant's head size to become normal and relieves signs and symptoms in older children and adults. Shunt tubes may require replacement as a child grows. Successful shunts usually are maintained for life, but there can be complications.
Ventriculostomy
An alternative procedure for some people with hydrocephalus is called ventriculostomy, appropriate when there's an obstruction of flow between ventricles. In the procedure, the doctor makes a hole in the bottom of the third ventricle. This lets CSF flow toward the base of the brain, where normal absorption occurs.
The Pediatric Neurosurgery Department of the Women's and Children's Hospital of North Adelaide, South Australia has a web page devoted to detailed information about treatment options, including a number of illustrations, x-rays, and charts.
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