Hydrocephalus physical examination
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Hydrocephalus physical examination On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Hydrocephalus physical examination |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Hydrocephalus physical examination |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];
Associate Editor-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun M.D., PhD.Kalsang Dolma, M.B.B.S.[2]
Overview
Appearance of the Patient
The patient may appear anxious. The patient is often sitting upright and has difficulty breathing. The patient is often confused. Obesity may be present. The patient may complain of pain and may be in ditress.
Vitals
Pulse
Rate
- Bradycardia may be present
Rhythm
- The pulse is regular
Blood Pressure
- Hypertension may be present
Respiratory Rate
Tachypnea may be present.
Head
Infants
- Large head: Head circumference is measured and recorded.
- Anterior fontanel is wide and bulging
- Scalp veins are visible and prominent
Older children
- Cranial bruit may be audible in cases of arteriovenous malformation
- Macewen's sign: Tapping (percussion) the skull near the junction of the frontal, temporal and parietal bones will produce a stronger resonant sound when either hydrocephalus or a brain abscess are present.
Eyes
- Papilledema
- Sunsetting sign: This is inferior ocular deviation seen in hydrocephalus
- Features of chorioretinitis may be present in cases of TORCH infection
Neurologic
- Abducens nerve palsy and
- Vertical gaze palsy
- Parinaud syndrome due to compression of the quadrigeminal plate, where the neural centers coordinating the conjugated vertical eye movement are located
- Pyramidal tract signs are seen in most cases