A Large Deformation Finite Element Model for Non-Communicating Hydrocephalus

In a healthy brain, a continuous flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is produced in the choroid plexus, located in the lateral ventricles. Most of the CSF drains via the Sylvius aqueduct into the subarachnoid space around the brain, but a small amount flows directly through the cerebrum into the subarachnoid space inside the skull. Non-communicating hydrocephalus occurs when an obstruction blocks the Sylvius aqueduct. Because the cerebrum has only limited capacity for CSF to flow through it, CSF accumulates in the ventricles, yielding a significant increase in ventricular volume and deformation of the cerebrum, which may lead to tissue damage.