On my MRI, my NS noted that my lateral ventricles were small. He thought it could be from a pseudotumor or systemic, brain inflammation. I had the bloodwork for the inflammation and it came back normal. I am scheduled for a spinal tap on monday.
I have been scouring the internet for causes for a small ventricle...he said it looked kind of squished, and I cant find anything. I also forgot to ask him what other things could cause my ventricle to look like that.
Do any of you have any ideas, other than a pseudotumor, that can cause such a thing?
I too have very small ventricles. I do have pseudotumor cerebri (intracranial hypertension). After decompression, 6 mos, later I had to have a shunt put in. I have a VP shunt and my surgeon had to actually drill to make the ventricle bigger because that is where the shunt needed to go into the brain to drain off the excess fluid. Now the sugeon does not like to adjust my shunt to drain faster because that makes your ventricles smaller and said he doesn't want mine to be any smaller than they already are! I don't know if this helps or not :)
Oh and I never had an mra or mrv done. Just MRIs (lots).
Carla Jo Stone said:
I too have very small ventricles. I do have pseudotumor cerebri (intracranial hypertension). After decompression, 6 mos, later I had to have a shunt put in. I have a VP shunt and my surgeon had to actually drill to make the ventricle bigger because that is where the shunt needed to go into the brain to drain off the excess fluid. Now the sugeon does not like to adjust my shunt to drain faster because that makes your ventricles smaller and said he doesn't want mine to be any smaller than they already are! I don't know if this helps or not :)
how did your symptoms respond to both the shunt and the decompression surgery? Should the shunt have been done first to see if your symptoms got better? Did you try Diamox also? How do you feel now? The surgeon drilled the ventricle in your brain?????
I was better after the decompression, but as the fluid built up again over the next 6 months, I began to have headaches again. When the doctor went out to talk to my husband right after my decompression, he told him that he thought that I was going to be in the 20% who would need a shunt. I have felt better since I got the shunt. That was 4 years ago in November.
gunna2gtthr12 said:
Hi Carla
how did your symptoms respond to both the shunt and the decompression surgery? Should the shunt have been done first to see if your symptoms got better? Did you try Diamox also? How do you feel now? The surgeon drilled the ventricle in your brain?????
The neurosurgeon widened the openig in my skull to allow for the VP shunt.
gunna2gtthr12 said:
Hi Carla
how did your symptoms respond to both the shunt and the decompression surgery? Should the shunt have been done first to see if your symptoms got better? Did you try Diamox also? How do you feel now? The surgeon drilled the ventricle in your brain?????