Lumbar Peritoneal Shunt Treatment in India

Arjun Sharma, a 58-year-old retired accountant,...

Arjun Sharma, a 58-year-old retired accountant, had always been active, enjoying morning walks and gardening. For the past two years, he had been plagued by progressively worsening headaches, worse in the morning, and a constant feeling of mental fogginess his family called 'his absent phase'. His balance began to falter, and a brain scan finally revealed the culprit: idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). His neurosurgeon, Dr. Mehta, explained that the excess cerebrospinal fluid was putting pressure on his brain, causing his symptoms. She recommended a Lumbar Peritoneal (LP) Shunt, a less invasive option than a ventricular shunt, to drain the fluid from his lumbar spine into his abdomen. Arjun was terrified of brain surgery but trusted Dr. Mehta. The procedure, done under local anesthesia with sedation, was surprisingly manageable. He felt pressure but no pain. The immediate post-op period was uncomfortable, with back soreness and abdominal bloating, but within days, the 'morning headaches' were gone. After six weeks of gradual recovery, the mental fog lifted dramatically. He could balance again, focus on conversations, and return to his garden. Emotionally, he journeyed from fear and frustration at his declining cognition to profound relief and gratitude. He felt like he had gotten his old self back, a second chance he didn't dare hope for.