Group leader: Dr. Darrin Lee
Project summary:
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow disorders encompass neurologic diseases caused by abnormal CSF production or drainage. These include normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), aqueductal stenosis and acquired hydrocephalus from central nervous system infection or subarachnoid hemorrhage. CSF flow disorders afflict all age groups, with NPH occurring in 2-3% of the elderly and IIH occurring in younger populations. The true prevalence of these disorders is underestimated and may be on the rise. Symptoms of headache, cognitive difficulties and changes in vision and balance can be disabling; however, few specialty centers exist. We therefore aim to build a team of experts able to provide a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis, medical & surgical treatment and rehabilitation. By concurrently developing an integrated research team committed to pursuing meaningful clinical research, this group aims to establish Keck Medicine as a center of excellence in this field. Located in Southern California, Keck Medicine serves an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse patient group, currently receiving 2-5 referrals each month for CSF flow disorders.
This group will work to establish a collaboration team to streamline diagnosis, medical treatment, pre-surgical assessment, surgical intervention, and rehabilitation process, as well as establish cohorts of patients to collect data for retrospective observation study and for prospective interventional trials.
Learn more about their work: