Types of hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus can be classified in to two broad segements according to:

• patholgy - depending on the sit of obstruction, hydrocephalus can be classified into:
  • communicating or non-obstructive hydrocephalus
  • non-communicating or obstructive hydrocephalus (1)
• etiology
  • congenital malformations - seen in infants at birth,
  • acquired conditions - after infection, intracranial haemorrhage, or structural or mass lesions (2)

Additionally there are specific forms such as:

• normal pressure – primarly affects the elderly population
• ex vacuo
• otitic

Reference:

• (1) Kandasamy J, Jenkinson MD, Mallucci CL. Contemporary management and recent advances in paediatric hydrocephalus. BMJ. 2011;343:d4191
• (2) Milani Sivagnanam and Neilank K. Jha (2012). Hydrocephalus: An Overview, Hydrocephalus