GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS

1.) American Association of Neurological Surgeons. “An Integral Voice – 75 Years”. (2007.) http://www.aans.org/about/annualreport07.pdf

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is an organization that speaks for all of neurosurgery and is dedicated to the advancement of neurological surgery to promote high quality patient care. It has over 7,200 members worldwide. This document is the AANS Annual Report for 2007, which also marked their 75 year anniversary. It includes an updated plan from each of their officers, outlining advancements made and goals for the near future. It gives details of the research being conducted and a full list of all the donors from 2007. This is an important document because patients with Hydrocephalus want the best care and the best neurosurgeons they can find. The AANS makes sure that these neurosurgeons are available and making regular advancements.

 

2.) International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. “ “Access” Activity Report 2006” (2007). http://www.ifglobal.org/uploads/documents/Annual%20report%202006-rev.pdf 

The “Access” Activity Report 2006 is a document presented at the General Meeting of the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. It includes the planned development for the corporation, goals, financial results of 2006, the IF Award of 2006, a full staff list and a letter from Pierre Mertens, President of the IF Network. This would be a helpful document to anyone looking to get involved with IF or that has been involved with IF in the past. It is a good document to look at IF’s past dealings and how it operates as a leading international corporation with Hydrocephalus.

PRINT REFERENCE BOOKS

1.) Parker, James N.; Parker, Philip M. “The Official Parent’s Sourcebook on Hydrocephalus”. (2002). Icon Health Publications: San Diego.

This is a sourcebook created for parents who have decided to make education and Internet-based research on Hydrocephalus an essential part of the treatment process. Although it gives information useful to health professionals such as doctors and caregivers, it also tells parents where and how to look for information covering virtually all topics related to Hydrocephalus, from the basics to the most advanced areas of research. The book uses resources from academic, public, government and peer-reviewed research. Also included are excerpts from readings of special agencies that have been reproduced to provide some of the latest official information available to date on Hydrocephalus.

 

2.) Chen, Harold. “Atlas of Genetic Diagnosis and Counseling”. (2006). Humana Press: Totowa, N.J.

The Atlas of Genetic Diagnosis and Counseling is a pictorial atlas of over 200 genetic syndromes and disorders. It provides an outline of what Hydrocephalus is describing genetics, defects, clinical features, tests, diagnosis, treatments, and counseling. It also includes photographs of ultrasounds and MRI scans from patients of all different ages and stages of the illness. The book is kind of intense and is mainly a good resource for those with a clinical degree.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL WEBSITES

1.) The International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus http://www.ifglobal.org/home.asp?lang=1&main=1

The International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IF) consists of 32 regional and national umbrella organizations in over 50 countries for the two illnesses. It’s goal is to provide information throughout the world to all parties involved: doctors, patients, families and volunteers. Their site includes an extremely in depth look at Hydrocephalus as well as the main treatments offered. It provides information on human rights and how the syndrome is affecting developing countries. The site comes in six different languages and also contains a newsroom and a forum.

 

2.) Hydrocephalus 2008 http://www.hydrocephalus2008.com/

Hydrocephalus 2008 is an event held in Hannover, Germany on September 17 – 20^th. The event is hosted by Carsten Wikkelsö, Gotebörg University. The event is held for professionals from all areas of Hydrocephalus to present up to date experimental and clinical research to improve everyone else’s understanding of the illness. This website gives program information, a way to submit a personal abstract, a way to register. It also provides a link to The International Society for Hydrocephalus and Cerebrospinal Fluid Disorders (ISHCSF) which is also a very informational organization.

SCHOLARLY ARTICLES

1.) Fichter, M.A. “Current Trends and Prospects of Intrauterine Neurosurgery”. Fetal Diagnosis & Therapy 23.4 (2008): 271-286.

Intrauterine surgery is a surgical performance done on the fetus while it is still within the womb. If Hydrocephalus can be diagnosed at this stage, an intrauterine surgery can be preformed to correct the syndrome, and prevent a shunt dependence later on in life. An estimated 330 cases of intrauterine repair have been performed in a few specialized centers worldwide. This would be a good source to find information regarding this type of surgery, and comparing whether or not it is an appropriate treatment for a specific case.

 

2.) Piatt, J.H.; Garton, H.J. “Clinical Diagnosis of Ventriculoperitoneal Sunt Failure Among Children with Hydrocephalus”. Pediatric Emergency Care 24.4 (Spring 2008): 201-10.

This journal was written after a study was done on the different symptoms and signs of shunt failure and infection. The study was randomized and consisted of controlled clinical trials. Observations were made and data was recorded. This type of journal is significant in that it is always important to research every treatment process available before having the procedure done. Although sometimes hard to understand, careful notes can be taken and asked to a physician who can always translate into layman’s terms.

 

3.) Levine, David N. “Intracranial Pressure and Ventricular Expansion in Hydrocephalus”. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 269.1 (Summer 2008): 1-11.

This article discusses the cause of Hydrocephalus and what causes the buildup of Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) in the brain in the first place. The author proposes a theory that states Hydrocephalus is caused by the obstruction of the flow of CSF with the absence of large pressure gradients across the cerebral mantle. It goes on to explain how exactly the pressure is measured and how it is observed and recorded. This would be helpful mostly to doctors looking to expand their knowledge of the syndrome and also good for other clinical trials.

NEWS ARTICLES

1.) Morris, Sophie. “Hydrocephalus: the lethal brain condition.”  The Independent. Retrieved June 10, 2008. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/features/hydrocephalus-the-lethal-brain-condition-843399.html

This is an article following the life of Simon Lannon. He was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus at a young age and had his first surgery at age six. Since then he has had over 30 surgeries. The article goes through all the trials and tribulations of growing up and suffering from Hydrocephalus. Although Simon has missed a lot growing up because of this illness, the article goes on to describe how he is now training for a triathlon. The article is really inspiring and shows that one can really accomplish a lot in life while suffering from Hydrocephalus. It shows that life can still be successful and meaniful. Simon Lannon is an inspiration to all, not just those with Hydrocephalus, but any illness.

 

2.) Ishaq, Allia. “Pregnancy Problems and Cats: Few Facts, Mainly Fiction”. Yemen Times. Retrieved June 9, 2008. http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1162&p=health&a=1

This news article is about a correlation between owning a pet cat and fetal hydrocephalus. It has been found that when women handle cat feces, they are at risk of having pregnancy problems in the future, mainly fetal Hydrocephalus. This information is according to researchers at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. It is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite found in cat feces is the same found in raw, undercooked meat. This is an important and interesting article, and makes one think about their day-to-day activities and the effects they might have later in life. 

3.) Austin, Kathleen. “Health Workshops on Understanding Neurological Conditions and Strokes”. EVliving.com. Retrieved June 8, 2008. http://www.evliving.com/wellness.php?action=fullnews&id=10053

Health for a Lifetime is a series of workshops Phoenix Human Services Department Senior Services Division and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. They regularly hold workshops for people with Hydrocephalus to help them better understand their illness. This article is relevant to all because workshops such as this one are available all over the country to help patients, family and friends cope with Hydrocephalus.

ONLINE REFERENCE SITES

1.) “Open Studies: Hydrocephalus”. (2008). U.S. National Institue of Health: Clinical Trials.gov. Retrieved June 9, 2008. http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Hydrocephalus%22

ClinicalTrials.gov is a registry of federally supported clinical trials in the United States and around the world. There are many different clinical trials listed that include Hydrocephalus. Some recent trials include comparing treatments for infants and comparing catheter related infection rates among different shunt systems. A registry of clinical trials can be helpful for anyone considering a certain treatment. They can look up the testing results and how the trial went. It is also helpful for anyone looking to become involved in a clinical trial. Being involved in a clinical trial gives a patient the opportunity to help researchers discover something new and eventually be able to make an impact on finding a cure.

 

2.) “Hydrocephalus”. (2008). Encyclopedia Britannica 09 June 2008. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/278367/hydrocephalus

Encyclopedia Britannica provides an in depth look at Hydrocephalus. It gives a detailed definition, links to provide descriptions of complicated subjects concerning Hydrocephalus, and different references. They also give links to other informational websites. There is a downloadable “widget” you can install onto a computer to give constant updates. There are also audio and video options. Encyclopedia Britannica is easy to navigate through and easily understandable. 

GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS

1.) “Hydrocephalus”. (2008). Medline Plus 09 June 2008. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hydrocephalus.html

Medline Plus is a service of the U.S. National Library and the National Institutes of Health. Their section on Hydrocephalus gives a detailed description of the syndrome. It contains many reliable and trustworthy links to other sources and breaks those sources up into appropriate categories including latest news, symptoms, treatments, related issues, and articles. As a government sponsored website, it is a dependable resource.

2.) “NINDS Hydrocephalus Information Page”. (2008). National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Retrieved June 9, 2008. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hydrocephalus/hydrocephalus.htm

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) helps fund and support research for neurological disorders and collects information about neurological disorders for public awareness. Their website gives a detailed description of Hydrocephalus, offers information about treatments, and updates readers on current research being done. It provides a list of helpful organizations and their contact information and also a list of recent publications. It also gives a list of publications in other languages.