What are the consequences of hydrocephalus in infants?

What are the consequences of hydrocephalus in infants?

• A. Macrocephaly without any ventricular dilation.
• B. Macrocephaly with brain tissue atrophy.
• C. Stretching of periventricular brain tissue with macrocephaly due to separated skull plates.
• D. Decreased head circumference.

Answer: (C)

In infants, hydrocephalus causes ventricles to enlarge as CSF builds up, and the skull can expand because the sutures and fontanelles are still open. This combination leads to macrocephaly along with stretching of the brain tissue around the ventricles (periventricular regions) as the ventricles push outward. The skull plates separate to accommodate the increased volume, so macrocephaly plus periventricular stretching best describes the consequence. Decreased head size wouldn’t occur, and hydrocephalus is characterized by ventricular dilation rather than the absence of it or primary brain tissue atrophy, though prolonged pressure can eventually affect brain tissue.

In infants, hydrocephalus causes ventricles to enlarge as CSF builds up, and the skull can expand because the sutures and fontanelles are still open. This combination leads to macrocephaly along with stretching of the brain tissue around the ventricles (periventricular regions) as the ventricles push outward. The skull plates separate to accommodate the increased volume, so macrocephaly plus periventricular stretching best describes the consequence. Decreased head size wouldn’t occur, and hydrocephalus is characterized by ventricular dilation rather than the absence of it or primary brain tissue atrophy, though prolonged pressure can eventually affect brain tissue.