The hydromechanics of hydrocephalus: steady-state solutions for cylindrical geometry

Hydrocephalus is a state in which the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid is disturbed. This fluid, produced within the brain at a constant rate, moves through internal cavities in it (ventricles), then exits through passages so that it may be absorbed by the surrounding membranes (meninges). Failure of fluid to move properly through these passages results in the distention of the passages and the ventricles. Ultimately, this distention causes large displacements and distortion of brain tissue as well as an increase of fluid in the extracellular space of the brain (edema). We use a two-phase model of fluid-saturated material to simulate the steady state of the hydrocephalic brain. Analytic solutions for the displacement of brain tissue and the distribution of edema for the annular regions of an idealized cylindrical geometry and small-strain theory are found. The solutions are used for a large-deformation analysis by superposition of the responses obtained for incrementally increasing loading. The effects of structural and hydraulic differences of white and gray brain matter, and the ependymal lining surrounding the ventricles, are examined. The results reproduce the characteristic steady-state distribution of edema seen in hydrocephalus, and are compared with experiment.