Hydrocephalus is the term used when enlargement of the ventricles has been caused by an increase in the pressure of the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) within them. This information sheet from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) explains the causes, symptoms and treatment of ventriculomegaly and hydrocephalus and where to get help.Ventricles are cavities within the brain filled with cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) acting as a ‘cushion’. Ventriculomegaly is the medical term used to describe enlargement of the ventricles of the brain. Likewise, infants with hydrocephalus who do not have other serious brain anomalies or damage have an excellent prognosis for normal development with timely treatment of the condition.Staying safe at GOSH and outside the hospitalĬoming to GOSH for a day or inpatient admissionĬoming to GOSH for an outpatient appointment Most infants with simple, nonprogressive ventriculomegaly in the absence of brain damage or developmental anomalies will have completely normal and healthy development.
Benign macrocrania of infancy is a more common condition in which a baby can have mild ventriculomegaly and a large head, but not hydrocephalus.Hydrocephalus occurs when CSF builds up within the ventricles of the brain, causing them to grow progressively larger. Hydrocephalus is the main concern associated with ventriculomegaly.Ventriculomegaly is a term that describes the actual image of the enlarged spaces as it appears on a prenatal ultrasound.Īre there any medical complications associated with ventriculomegaly?.However, CSF may become trapped in the spaces, causing them to grow progressively larger. In the brain of a healthy fetus, the ventricles are about 10 millimeters wide.There are spaces within the brain (ventricles) that are also filled with CSF. Your child’s brain and spinal cord are covered in a clear protective liquid called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).What does it mean to have ventriculomegaly? Until you meet with our team of doctors, you may find it helpful to read the straightforward information about ventriculomegaly provided in the following pages.
Here, members of the team work closely with specialists in other departments in the hospital, to develop individual care plans that meet each child’s medical needs. Infants who require evaluation for ventriculomegaly or possible hydrocephalus are generally seen in the Neonatal and Congenital Anomalies Neurosurgery Programat Boston Children’s Hospital.