The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : When the problem goes straight to the head

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

When the problem goes straight to the head

Ashan Yasmeen

Bangalore: Ananya, second daughter of a couple hailing from Mangalore, was hale and hearty when she was born. But the parents’ joy turned into trauma on the second day of her birth when their doctor told them that all was not well with the baby. Her head was slightly bigger than normal.

After conducting ultrasound and blood tests, the doctor diagnosed that the baby had hydrocephalus, a neurological defect wherein the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) gets accumulated in the brain because of a blocked ventricle. Though there is no database to show the incidence of this disorder in India, studies by the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that a little over two in 1,000 births are affected by hydrocephalus. It is one of the most common birth defects and affects more than 10,000 babies each year worldwide.

This disorder, if left undetected, can turn serious and even result in a brain haemorrhage. The risk is as high as 80 per cent in babies, whose birth weight is less than 1,000 gm. Though it is more common in premature babies, it also affects full term babies, said Shivaleela Patil, a neonatologist in Mallya Hospital, who diagnosed the disorder in Ananya. In normal condition, the CSF produced in the ventricles, circulates through the ventricular system and is absorbed into the bloodstream. It surrounds the brain and the spinal chord and plays a vital role in providing a safety cushion screening it from injuries.

“Hydrocephalus occurs when there is an imbalance between the amount of cerebrospinal fluid that is produced and the rate at which it is absorbed. As the CSF builds up, it causes the ventricles to enlarge and the pressure inside the head to increase,” Dr. Patil said.

According to M.R. Hariram, a neonatologist at Sagar Hospital, hydrocephalus may be congenital or acquired. “Congenital hydrocephalus is present at birth. It is thought to be caused by a complex interaction of environmental and genetic factors. Whereas acquired hydrocephalus develops at the time of birth or at some point afterward and can affect individuals of all ages,” he said.

“It may result from intra-ventricular haemorrhage, meningitis, head trauma, tumours and cysts. Normal pressure hydrocephalus occurs most often among the elderly. It may be a result of head trauma, infection, tumour or surgical complications although many people develop normal pressure hydrocephalus without an obvious cause,” Dr. Hariram said. Ananya’s parents, who got her operated upon at NIMHANS in March 2001, are grateful to Aaron Mohanty and his team, who performed the surgery.

“The post operative treatment and care at NIMHANS was phenomenal and we were so glad that we were in such safe hands. God has been kind to us since then and she has shown excellent results in recuperating without any side effects. She is eight years now and seeing her every day is a blessing indeed,” her father Jayaprakash Menon told The Hindu. To provide support and guidance to parents and patients affected by the disorder, a group of like-minded parents have come together in Bangalore and have formed a support group.

Mr. Menon, who is part of the group, said: “We have fondly named the group as Divine Intervention. We want to establish and facilitate a communication network among affected families and individuals.”

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka