Psychiatria pre prax 4/2003

Normotensive hydrocephalus

The clinical entity – „normotensive hydrocephalus” (associated with gait disorders, dementia and sphincter difficulties, with normal cytological and biochemical values in liquor, with no common signs typical for intracranial hypertensionfor) represents in age group of patients over sixty years old up to 10% of conditions treated as Parkinson or Alzheimer disease by mistake. The only rational approach is to peform neurosurgical shunt operation.

Keywords: normotensive hydrocephalus (NPH, Hakimo´s disease), ventriculoatrial shunt, ventriculo-peritoneal shunt.