Bangalore, India - Prakash, aged 55 years, still 3 years to go in his official age of retirement from the job is unable to attend office and facing typical problems that have been
discounted as old-age and non-treatable problems. He seems to be forgetting too much, not remembering the very basic and simple tasks such as where he had kept his wallet, how much payment he'd made to the vegetable vendor etc. His memory seems to be on a severe decline and he doesn't seem to remember simple most things such as he goes to a hair cutting salon and comes back without getting the haircut done.

Prakash has also become very forgetful and these days he is unable to maintain a proper balance while walking coupled with a little shiver in his hands. Sometimes really embarrassing situation is created for him and his family, when he seems to loose control on the urinary bladder and ends up wetting clothes at inappropriate times and places. While he is suffering from these symptoms, his whole family is undergoing severe trauma and pain as they had never thought that he would ever be in such a state as he was one of the most healthiest, energetic and cheerful members in the family. While they had left no stone unturned in getting medical attention for him, they haven't still found a satisfactory diagnosis and treatment.

Cases like Prakash being left untreated are very common in India but the fact that these are the symptoms of a treatable medical disorder, which is not very well known among the publics and the medical community as well.

The symptoms described above refer to a disorder called NPH (Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus), where the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulates in the ventricles of the brain enlarging them, which in turn stretches the nerve tissue of the brain causing the key three (3) symptoms i.e. gait disturbance (difficulty in walking), dementia or forgetfulness and urinary incontinence (no bladder control).

Dr. Mark Luciano, from Cleveland Clinic USA, who was in Bangalore along with leading
neurosurgeons like Dr. Sujay Rao of St. Philomena's Hospital to conduct a conference
on NPH, addressing to number of enthusiastic neurosurgeons from across the country said, "With the help of advanced neuro imaging technologies like CT & MRI and through a careful clinical assessment it is possible to diagnose the NPH in patients and recommend suitable treatment options. Many among the medical fraternity also confuse this with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease and are unable to provide suitable guidance, purely because of lack of awareness on NPH."

"In some cases apart from computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) you may need more tests like lumbar puncture or tap, continuous lumbar CSF
drainage, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, measurement of cerebrospinal fluid outflow resistance or isotopic cisternography, and neuropsychological testing to confirm the diagnosis of NPH," added Dr. Mark Luciano from Cleveland Clinic USA.

Today's latest technologies provide many implants to address NPH, which can help patients, recover fast and get back to their normal lives. In severe cases, a patient is recommended for a surgery and artificial shunt is implanted in the brain, which is designed to drain excess CSF fluid away from the brain thereby allowing the enlarged ventricles to return to a normal state. However, the issue of complications arising from over-drainage or under-drainage of CSF has always bothered Surgeons. This problem is addressed by the newest of the breed and latest technology programmable shunt.

Note: The name of patient and the situation has been changed to protect the identity of the individual.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT :

Mr. GUNASHEKAR
M/s. Brodeur India PR
Bangalore, India
E-Mail : vguna@brodeurindia.com