hydrocephalus

3 9.2

Extra fluid builds up in the brain, causing the head to swell, often in babies

noun
/ˌhaɪdrəˈsɛfələs/

Specialized

: hidrocefalia

Three months following stereotactic radiotherapy, the patient developed hydrocephalus, which required placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.
developing hydrocephalus

And this one is, it's in some ways it's, it's different than the heart surgery because hydrocephalus is, whereas the heart surgery is pretty rare.

Examples

Basically, I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and hydrocephalus, which is fluid on the brain.

Sound It Out (2011)
The patient's post-treatment course was complicated by hydrocephalus and symptoms of brainstem compression, which required urgent surgical intervention.

Academic text (2002)
In addition, the majority will have surgery for hydrocephalus in the early days of life.

Academic text (2008)
As someone with something as rare as hydrocephalus, it feels like I'm the only one in the world with it.

Blog text (20)
Mild hydrocephalus without any intrasellar extension was noted.

Academic text (2007)
The author, born with hydrocephalus (water on the brain), recounted his struggles with being physically challenged.

Academic text (2013)
Many patients had visual disturbances, cranial nerve palsies, and hydrocephalus when seeking treatment or that developed during treatment.

Academic text (2013)
Further, achondroplastic infants can have hydrocephalus, which could account for Charles Waring's macrocephaly and delayed speech.

Academic text (2010)
Of the five students with multiple disabilities, one had traumatic brain injury, one was diagnosed with congenital hydrocephalus, one had hypoxia and ischemia at birth, one was born prematurely, and one had an unknown etiology.

Academic text (2010)
Many babies with spina bifida also develop hydrocephalus, known as "water on the brain."

Synonyms

hydrocephaly

vshydrocephalus

Specialized

1 9.9

A medical condition where fluid builds up inside the head, making it swell and causing brain problems

is the same condition but named with a different medical form

Surface Forms

hydrocephalus singular

hydrocephaluses plural

hydrocephali plural

Morphology

hydrocephalus = hydro + cephal + us

The term is built from classical combining forms, but the specialized medical meaning is not straightforwardly inferable for an average learner.

Etymology

Hydrocephalus comes from Greek parts hydro- meaning 'water' and cephal- meaning 'head'. You can see hydro- in words like hydrant. So hydrocephalus literally means 'water in the head', which explains the condition where extra fluid builds up and the head can swell.