The finite element method (FEM) , an advanced method of computer simulation, is used to examine biomechanieal studies of hydrocephalus. Biot's theory of consolidation, whieh describes the mechanical behavior of a porous medium containing viscous fluid, is applied to represent the coupled behavior of tissue and fluid in the hydrocephalic brain . A computer simulation of the hydrocephalic process is carried out by FEM to evaluate the mathematical model. A two-dimensional finite element model is constructed using a horizontal computed tomographie (CT) slice of the brain. Specifying the material properties of the brain parenchyma , the loading characteristics, and the boundary conditions, the change of interstitial pressure, intracerebral stress distribution , and ventricular configuration are computed and graphieally represented. The result s of the computer simulation are compared with the findings of CT and magnetie resonance imaging of hydrocephalic patients. The progress of periventrieular cerebrospinal fluid edema and ventrieular enlargement is weIl represented by the mathematical model. The model demonstrated that stress concentration in the brain tissue and increased parenchymal hydraulie conductivity play an important roIe in the generation of periventricular cerebrospinal fluid edema. (Neurosurgery 21: 898-904 , 1987)

The relatively good results using marsupialization or endoscopic cisternostomy as surgical procedure and the high incidence of shunt malfunction buttresses our use of both operations as a first-line surgery at present. Surgical procedure that does not include shunting decreases the ratio of recurrent operation because this kind of complication develops over time and should be consider as a second-line procedure.

The finite element method (FEM), an advanced method of computer simulation, is used to examine biomechanical studies of hydrocephalus. Biot's theory of consolidation, which describes the mechanical behavior of a porous medium containing viscous fluid, is applied to represent the coupled behavior of tissue and fluid in the hydrocephalic brain. A computer simulation of the hydrocephalic process is carried out by FEM to evaluate the mathematical model. A two-dimensional finite element model is constructed using a horizontal computed tomographic (CT) slice of the brain. Specifying the material properties of the brain parenchyma, the loading characteristics, and the boundary conditions, the change of interstitial pressure, intracerebral stress distribution, and ventricular configuration are computed and graphically represented. The results of the computer simulation are compared with the findings of CT and magnetic resonance imaging of hydrocephalic patients. The progress of periventricular cerebrospinal fluid edema and ventricular enlargement is well represented by the mathematical model. The model demonstrated that stress concentration in the brain tissue and increased parenchymal hydraulic conductivity play an important role in the generation of periventricular cerebrospinal fluid edema.