Hydrocephalus
From Wikipedia:
Hydrocephalus is a condition in which abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain causes increased intracranial pressure inside the skull. This is usually due to blockage of CSF outflow in the brain ventricles or in the subarachnoid space at the base of the brain. The elevated intracranial pressure may cause compression of the brain, leading to brain damage and other complications. There is no cure. The term "hydrocephalus" is derived from the Greek language and means "water-head".
Hydrocephalus affects one in every 500 live births, making it one of the most common birth defects, even more common than Down's syndrome or deafness. According to the NIH website, there are an estimated 700,000 children and adults living with hydrocephalus, and it is the leading cause of brain surgery for children in the United States. There are over 180 different causes of the condition, one of the most common being brain hemorrhage associated with premature birth.
One of the most performed treatments for hydrocephalus, the shunt, has not changed since it was developed in 1960. The shunt must be implanted through neurosurgery into the patient's brain, a procedure which itself may cause brain damage. An estimated 50% of all shunts fail within two years, requiring further surgery to replace the shunts. Nearly half of all shunted children score below 80 on standardized intelligence tests, and only half of the children with hydrocephalus attend mainstream schools.Information for Hydrocephalus
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