Meningioma

Summary from Mayo Clinic

Definition

Meningioma is a tumor that arises from the meninges — the membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord. The majority of meningioma cases are noncancerous (benign), though rarely a meningioma can be cancerous (malignant).

Meningioma occurs most commonly in women. Most people develop meningioma as adults, after age 40. But meningioma can occur at any age, including childhood.

Even if a meningioma is benign, it isn't harmless. A meningioma can press on the brain and spinal cord, causing complications such as vision loss or paralysis. The signs and symptoms you experience depend on the size and location of the meningioma and what parts of the nervous system are affected. Meningioma treatment options include surgery and radiation, though sometimes immediate treatment isn't necessary.

Treatments and drugs

The treatment you receive for meningioma depends on many factors, including the size of your meningioma, where it's located and how aggressive it's believed to be. Your doctor will also take into consideration your overall health and your goals for treatment.

No treatment
Not every person with meningioma needs to have their tumor removed. A small, slow-growing meningioma that isn't causing signs or symptoms may not require treatment.

Surgery
If your meningioma causes signs and symptoms or shows signs that it's growing, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgeons work to remove the meningioma completely. But because meningioma may occur near many delicate structures, such as your brain, eyes and spinal cord, it isn't always possible to remove the entire tumor. In those cases, surgeons remove as much of the meningioma as possible.

Radiation therapy
If your meningioma can't be completely removed, your doctor may recommend radiation therapy following surgery. The goal of radiation therapy is to destroy any remaining meningioma cells and reduce the chance that your meningioma may recur.

Radiosurgery
Radiosurgery is a specific type of radiation treatment that aims several beams of powerful radiation at a very precise point. Rather than spread treatment out over several weeks, radiosurgery usually involves one treatment performed in one day in an outpatient setting. Contrary to its name, radiosurgery doesn't involve scalpels or incisions.

Hydrocephalus

From Hydrocephalus Association:

Hydrocephalus comes from Greek words: hydro means water, cephalus means head. Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of fluid—cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF—within cavities called ventricles inside the brain. This condition may occur at any age. CSF is produced in the ventricles, circulates through the ventricular system in the brain and is absorbed into the bloodstream. CSF is in constant circulation and has many functions. It surrounds the brain and spinal cord and acts as a protective cushion against injury. CSF contains nutrients and proteins that are needed for the nourishment and normal function of the brain. It carries waste products away from surrounding tissues. Hydrocephalus occurs when there is an imbalance between the amount of CSF 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.

While there's no known cure for hydrocephalus, the future holds promise. Recent research gives great hope that we may one day find a cure. In the meantime, gradual advances in technology as well as diagnostic and treatment protocols are helping more and more people with hydrocephalus to lead full and active lives.

Although hydrocephalus (hi-dro-sef-a-lus) is not yet a household word, it is NOT uncommon and you are not alone. Over a million people of all ages currently live with hydrocephalus in the United States, though it occurs all over the world. Hydrocephalus knows no socioeconomic, gender or ethnic boundaries. Of every 1,000 babies born in this country, one or two will have hydrocephalus. It is the most common reason for brain surgery in children, but it can also be diagnosed in any decade of life. Experts estimate that hundreds of thousands of older adults have normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which often goes undetected or is misdiagnosed as untreatable dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.

How is Hydrocephalus treated?
There is no known way to prevent or cure hydrocephalus. To date, the most common treatment is surgical insertion of a shunt. A shunt is a flexible tube placed into the ventricular system of the brain which diverts the flow of CSF into another region of the body, most often the abdominal cavity, where it can be absorbed. A valve within the shunt regulates the flow of CSF.

The shunt procedure is performed by a neurosurgeon. Shunts can become clogged or malfunction and surgical revisions are often required. Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) is a procedure in which a small perforation is made in the thinned floor of the third ventricle, allowing movement of CSF out of the blocked ventricular system. It is a promising technique that can treat hydrocephalus without a shunt. ETV is not a cure for hydrocephalus and it is not an appropriate choice of treatment for many types of hydrocephalus. Each case must be evaluated individually by experienced medical professionals.


The association provides a family book about Hydrocephalus. You can get it here.


Useful Links

Hydrocephalus Association

Pediatric Neurosurgery - Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus Fact Sheets

Brainy Quotations 1

Dr. Seuss (from Oh, the places you'll go!, 1990)

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.

Anonymous (from A. Nonny Mouse Writes Again! by J. Prelutsky, 1993)

Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
Oil those brains
Before they rust.

Carl C. Pfeiffer (from Mental and Elemental Nutrients, 1975)

Brains, like cabbages, are beautiful--but in a different way. Cabbage heads are dumb and sterile, whereas brains are personal, intelligent and vibrant.

William F. Allman (from Apprentices of Wonder. Inside the Neural Network Revolution, 1989)

The brain is a monstrous, beautiful mess. Its billions of nerve cells - called neurons - lie in a tangled web that displays cognitive powers far exceeding any of the silicon machines we have built to mimic it.

Pasko T. Rakic (from Great Issues for Medicine in the Twenty-First Century, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sciences, vol. 882, p. 66, 1999)

The brain is the organ that sets us apart from any other species. It is not the strength of our muscles or of our bones that makes us different, it is our brain.

Taken from : http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/quotes.html

Introduction to the blog

I have decided to create this blog because human brain is very interesting and complicated. It controls and coordinate our body. I also have been working in this field (neurosurgery) since 2003, selling the equipments needed.
I have seen patients needed help: hydrocephalus, trauma patients, stroke patients, brain tumor, etc.

This blog will provide information about human brain and nerve system, in medical and clinical aspects, also some other fun things about it.