VCU Health pioneers new treatment for often misdiagnosed brain condition

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- VCU Health is one of a dozen hospitals nationwide at the forefront of a pivotal clinical trial that could revolutionize treatment for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), a brain condition frequently misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, normal pressure hydrocephalus is a brain disorder in which excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain’s ventricles, which are fluid-filled chambers. This causes pressure on the brain.

For 60 years, the only treatment for NPH has been a ventricular peritoneal (VP) shunt, an invasive procedure requiring a hole drilled in the skull to drain excess fluid.

VCU Health is now testing the CereVasc eShunt Implant, a less invasive alternative. This innovative device delivers the shunt through a tiny incision in the leg, guiding it through a vein to the brain to drain fluid. The excess fluid is then absorbed by the body.

 Dr. John Reavey-Cantwell, a VCU Health neurosurgeon involved in the study, has successfully implanted this new shunt in several patients at VCU Health as part of the second phase of the pilot study.

“This trial is going to put the eShunt directly against the VP shunt, the older technology," Reavey-Cantwell said.

Patients involved in the second phase of the clinical study will randomly receive one of the two devices. Over the span of a year, researchers will evaluate their outcomes and see which device performed better.

According to the Hydrocephalus Association, only 20% of people with the disease are properly diagnosed with the condition.

NPH generally affects the older population. Symptoms include losing control of your bladder, trouble lifting your feet and personality changes.

“As we get older, we develop other medical problems. It becomes riskier to have an operation and to have a less invasive alternative is very, very exciting," Reavey-Cantwell said.

With one of the nation's most experienced NPH clinics, VCU Health has significantly influenced global NPH care. Their providers were instrumental in developing the first clinical guidelines that now guide diagnosis and treatment worldwide.