Hydrocephalus

Brain Injury and Medical Malpractice

By Jack Sacks on January 2, 2025

Posted in Allergic Reactions, Aneurysm, Birth Injury, Brachial Plexus Injury, Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Erb's Palsy, Failure to Diagnose, Falls/Fractures, Heart Attack, High Blood Pressure, Hydrocephalus, Hypogylcemia, Infection, Lumbar Puncture, Meningitis, Paralysis, Peritonitis, Placental Abruption, Premature Birth, Shoulder Dystocia, Spinal Injury, Spinal Tap, Stroke, Surgical Mistakes

The prevalence of brain injury in the United States is alarming as it is the second leading cause of disability in the country. Often referred to as the silent epidemic, approximately 3.17- 5.3 million Americans suffer from traumatic brain injuries, another 4.7 million have brain injuries from strokes, and another 500,000 have cerebral palsy (brain injury due to an event of oxygen deprivation). Causes of brain injury that may give rise to a medical malpractice lawsuit are further described below: …

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus and Medical Malpractice

By Jack Sacks on November 29, 2024

Posted in Brain Injury, Failure to Diagnose, Hydrocephalus

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This fluid is continually produced and stored in ventricles, which are cavities of the brain. CSF cushions the brain, supplies the brain with nutrients, and removes wastes. Excess fluid drained from the brain is absorbed by other tissues.

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is an abundance of CSF in the ventricles due to interference in proper drainage and absorption. To accommodate the extra fluid…

Lumbar Puncture – Indications and Usage

By Jack Sacks on October 7, 2024

Posted in Aneurysm, Brain Injury, Diabetes, Failure to Diagnose, Falls/Fractures, High Blood Pressure, Hydrocephalus, Hypogylcemia, Infection, Lumbar Puncture, Meningitis, Paralysis, Spinal Injury, Spinal Tap, Stroke

Lumbar puncture is a procedure performed in the lower back area, where a needle is inserted between two vertebrae to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The patient flexes his/her back to widen the spaces between the vertebrae so it is easier for the physician to access the region. The back is washed with antiseptic soap or iodine and covered with a sterile sheet. A local anesthetic is used to numb the area and then a thin hollow needle…

Meningitis and Medical Malpractice

By Jack Sacks on March 28, 2024

Posted in Allergic Reactions, Brain Injury, Failure to Diagnose, Hydrocephalus, Infection, Lumbar Puncture, Meningitis, Paralysis, Spinal Injury, Spinal Tap

Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. It is commonly caused by infection, but other causes include chemical irritants, drug allergies, fungi, and tumors. Based on the clinical evolution of the illness and the type of inflammatory exudate present in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), infectious meningitis is categorized into acute pyogenic (usually bacterial), aseptic (usually viral), and chronic (usually tuberculosis, spirochetal, cryptococcal).

Early diagnosis is essential for bacterial meningitis because it…

Advanced Diagnostic Imaging for Acquired Brain Injury

By Jack Sacks on March 22, 2024

Posted in Aneurysm, Birth Injury, Brain Injury, Failure to Diagnose, Falls/Fractures, High Blood Pressure, Hydrocephalus, Infection, Lumbar Puncture, Meningitis, Paralysis, Placental Abruption, Spinal Injury, Spinal Tap, Stroke

One of the first steps in evaluating brain injury is diagnostic imaging. Imaging refers to various methods of viewing the structures and processes residing in the brain. Some of the more familiar modalities are CT (or CAT) scans, which use X-rays to evaluate intracranial structures. MRI, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, uses magnetic fields to illustrate the brain. However, in cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), more advanced methods may be needed for proper diagnosis.

An MRI machine can use special software…

Hydrocephalus and Medical Malpractice

By Jack Sacks on February 16, 2024

Posted in Failure to Diagnose, Hydrocephalus, Spinal Tap

Hydrocephalus is also known as “water in the brain.” It is a condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles, which are cavities in the brain. In infants with hydrocephalus, CSF builds up in the central nervous system, causing the soft spot near the front of the scalp, known as the anterior fontanelle, to bulge and the head to be larger than expected. There is also a soft spot near the back of…

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