Contemporary management and recent advances in paediatric hydrocephalus

#### Summary points The term hydrocephalus relates to an imbalance between the production and absorption of cerebrospinal fluid that may cause an increase in intracranial pressure. Rather than being a single pathological disease, hydrocephalus may be congenital or may arise secondary to intracranial haemorrhage, infection, or tumours. Although some reports suggest the incidence of paediatric hydrocephalus has declined in many developed countries, others indicate increased rates because of improved survival of premature infants.1 2 3 4 High rates of neonatal infection and neural tube defects in developing countries are linked to higher rates of hydrocephalus than in the developed world. One prospective observational study of hydrocephalus in east Africa estimated more than 6000 new cases a year, and it continues to be a major source of morbidity and mortality.5 The management of hydrocephalus was revolutionised in the 1950s with the …