Shunt helps patients with brain condition to walk better: U of C study

Surgery for patients with Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus leads to significant improvements in walking and gait, researchers say

Since its conception in 1965, medical experts have debated the use of a shunt to mitigate symptoms of a brain condition that can severely debilitate a patient’s life. A new study may finally put all those concerns to rest.

The University of Calgary study, published on Tuesday, tested the efficacy of a shunt — a tube-like mechanism that is insert surgically and runs from the patient’s head to their abdomen — on 99 patients across three countries and found that it can indeed change a patient’s life for the better.

Recommended Videos

Prior to surgery, a patient living with the condition, known as Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (INPH), would ha