Hydrocephalus: A Case Study

There are an immense number of surgical procedures a neurosurgeon has to perform. Neurosurgeons, examine, diagnose and surgically treat disorders of the nervous system. Some of the neurological diseases neurosurgeons treat is brain tumors, neurovascular diseases, cranial base diseases, and pediatric and developmental disorders. Some of the most extensive procedures a neurosurgeon has to perform are treating patients with intracranial tumors, and awake craniotomies (conscious during brain surgery). Despite all the procedures neurosurgeons have to treat; are the surgeries they are performing effective and maintained? Are the neurosurgical procedures up to date so that patients are invulnerable to life

The word encephalitis is derived from two Greek words. Enkephalos, which means brain, and itis, which means inflammation. Encephalitis was defined by Sir John Burton Cleland, a pathologist and naturalist. When he defined it, it was named ‘Australian X disease’.

his neurologic intensive care unit (NICU) stay, Y.W. was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation, had a feeding tube inserted and was placed on tube feedings, had a Foley catheter to down drain (DD), and had multiple IVs inserted. He developed pneumonia 1 month after admission.

The same media statement displays a chaotic tone when it dispels the instability to the public as it states, “no single piece of evidence provides conclusive proof that Zika virus infection is a cause of microcephaly and other fetal brain defects. This statement is critically flawed in contradiction, and serves only to confuse the public even further, about the possibilities of Zika virus causing microcephaly. It is clear the media at times serves to confuse, and terrorize the public, and nobody is off limits in the fearmongering game, perpetuated by mainstream media.

Did you know that there are about 100,000 miles of blood vessels in the brain (Neurologist 2011)? It is true, which is why neurosurgeons must take special care when operating procedures in this vital part of our body. Neurosurgeons, equally known as brain surgeons, specialize in the activities occurring in the brain and nervous system. Training to become a brain surgeon requires a 6-7 year neurosurgical residency following four years of medical school (citation). Brain surgeons primarily perform complex surgeries on the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Becoming a brain surgeon result in significant benefits such as they heal problems in one of the most complex parts of the body, the brain, they help all

The sound of the sirens were trapped in her head. Meanwhile, she sat in the emergency room waiting area praying for good news. “How did this happen?” she thought over and over again. After what seemed like forever, the neurosurgeon came out and broke the news to her and her family. Her father’s car accident had broken his spine in three different places, broke a couple of ribs, and left him bruised and scratched all over. The neurosurgeon said it was a miracle that he had no actual brain damage. The neurosurgeon operated on her father’s spine and put him back together with a rod. After the surgery, she couldn’t thank the neurosurgeon enough for all she had done for her father. From that day on, she knew she wanted to be a neurosurgeon so she could help people the way a neurosurgeon helped her father. Neurosurgeons are everyday heroes that have worked very hard to get to where they are, for this

Encephalitis literally means an inflammation of the brain, but it usually refers to brain inflammation caused by a virus. It may also be called “acute viral encephalitis or aseptic encephalitis';. Encephalitis is an infectious disease of the Central Nervous System characterized by pathologic changes in both the gray and white matter of the spinal cord and brain. It may be due to specific disease entity such as rabies or an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus), or it may occur as a sequela of influenza, measles, German measles, chicken pox, herpes virus infection, small pox, vaccinia, or other diseases. The specific viruses involved may vary. Exposure can also occur through insect bites, food or drink, or skin

Addiction, such as drug or alcohol addiction, is explained by a Dr. Nora Volkow in a HBO series on addiction as "a disease of the brain that translates into abnormal behavior." This disease is known as brain disease which "refers to disruptions in the brain 's motivational and reward circuitry that results from the cumulative effect of repeated use of certain substances." The documentary, Addiction, drove home the point that drug addiction is a brain disease that is a chronic condition but one which can be treated and taken care of. These are the claims of Dr. Volkow and others in reference to people who deviantly drink or are addicted to either licit or

What makes a Neurosurgeon? The money? The type of houses they get to live in? The places they get to go? The car they drive? Sure it could be all of those things. But what really makes a Neurosurgeon? Is it ambition? Is it courage? Is it the aspiration to save lives? Is it the reaction they get after a successful operation? Or is it a dream that they have dreamt of becoming a Neurosurgeon? Well, it's all of those things. I’ve dreamt of becoming a Neurosurgeon since I was in 6th grade. Ambition is one of my traits. I’ve always had the aspiration to help others, but to save lives that’s another level I want to achieve. The reaction I get when I do something great internally is something that I cannot explain. That’s a Neurosurgeon. Neurosurgeons are specialized physicians and their specialty is doing surgery on the Nervous System. Let’s look more in depth at becoming a Neurosurgeon.

“A virus known as the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus that predominantly affects prenatal women and can cause microcephaly in newborns, has reared its head in Brazil” (Altman, Brian). This is a very treacherous epidemic. Countless lives have been ruined from the virus in Brazil and many other Central American countries. The Olympic games are being held in Brazil, the center of the disease, causing panic among many of the athletes. It especially hits the female athletes the hardest for the Zika virus mainly affects females reproductive cells. Why should the female athletes suffer for something that is not their fault? Even though it would be very difficult to reschedule the Olympics that are so soon, they still should not be hosted in Brazil.

This story follows a 14 year old Indian boy named Arnold Spirit Jr. He was born with hydrocephalus which filled too much cerebral spinal fluid inside his skull. This lead to numerous health problems which included extra teeth in his mouth, awkwardly sized body parts, and random seizures as a child. Since his parents were very poor the hospital couldn’t do as much to help. Junior lived all his life with the Spokane Tribe going to a very low budget school he calls the “Rez”. On page 46 of this book, Junior tells his parents that he’s considering transferring to Reardan, one of the best schools in the state. This was very far away from where they lived but they had much more to offer such as a computer room, a huge laboratory, and two basketball

Microcephaly is a condition that affects infants. It is characterized by a smaller than typical head circumference due to problems with brain development. Typically, as a baby’s brain grows in utero, the head and skull grow as well, however if the brain is not developing as it should, the head will not grow as expected (CDC). It can be caused by genetic disorders such as Down’s syndrome, as well as other chromosomal syndromes and neurometabolic syndromes (NINDS). Microcephaly can also be caused in utero if the pregnant mother abuses alcohol or drugs, or becomes infected with certain viruses.

Microcephaly is a rare neurological condition affecting 2-12 babies per 10,000 live births in the United States every year (Smith, 2016). It is a condition where a person’s head size is smaller than others of the same age and sex. The smaller head size is due to undeveloped brain during pregnancy or has stopped growing after birth. Standardized charts were used to determine smaller than normal size by getting the head circumference. Microcephaly can occur with or without combination of other major birth defects.

bulging fontanelles (soft spots of the head) with or without enlargement of the head size

Encephalitis is a condition caused by viruses which cause the brain to become inflamed. There are two types of encephalitis one is called primary because the viruses affect the brain itself. Secondary is the viruses travel from some other part of the body that has been affect to the brain. When the virus reaches the brain it begins to multiply causing inflammation. The brain’s white matter can be destroyed. This destruction causes cell death, hemorrhage and edema. The edema begins to compress the blood vessels this causes intracranial pressure (Mayo Clinic, 2011).