A New Classification for Congenital Hydrocephalus : Perspective Classification of Congenital Hydrocephalus (PCCH) and Postnatal Prognosis [Part1] A proposal of a new classification of fetal/neonatal/infantile hydrocephalus based on neuronal maturation on neuronal maturation process and chronological changes

Abstract

A new classification of congenital and infantile hydrocephalus was proposed in a hope of the correlation with the estimated prognosis, namely, "Perspective Classification of Congenital and Infantile Hydrocephalus". This classification is based on the multifactorial aspects affecting prognosis of congenital hydrocephalus. Three major concepts are included in the items ; clinico-embryological stage (Stage I-V), clinico-pathological type (Type P ; primary, Type D ; dysgenetic, Type S ; secondary) and clinico-chronological category (Category F ; fetal, Category N ; neonatal, Category I ; infantile) . This newly proposed classification may be valuable to the discussion on the controversial problems regarding the prenatal/perinatal therapeutic management of hydrocephalus offering more clearly identified hydrocephalic state together with the estimated postnatal outcome.