Long-term recovery behavior of brain tissue in hydrocephalus patients after shunting

Data from hydrocephalus patients, along with simulated data, sheds light on the mechanisms of long-term brain recovery after shunt surgery. The unpredictable complexities in hydrocephalus shunt outcomes may be related to the recovery behavior of brain tissue after shunting. The simulated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) velocity and intracranial pressure (ICP) over 15 months after shunting were validated by experimental data. The mean strain and creep of the brain had notable changes after shunting and their trends were monotonic. The highest stiffness of the hydrocephalic brain was in the first consolidation phase (between pre-shunting to 1 month after shunting). The viscous component overcame and damped the input load in the third consolidation phase (after the fifteenth month) and changes in brain volume were stopped. The long-intracranial elastance (long-IE) changed oscillatory after shunting and there was not a linear relationship between long-IE and ICP. We showed the long-term effect of the viscous component on brain recovery behavior of hydrocephalic brain. The results shed light on the brain recovery mechanism after shunting and the mechanisms for shunt failure.

Automated summary

Data from hydrocephalus patients and simulated data have provided insights into the mechanisms of long-term brain recovery after shunt surgery. The recovery behavior of brain tissue after shunting may contribute to the unpredictable complexities in hydrocephalus shunt outcomes. The study also highlights the role of stiffness and viscous component in the recovery process.