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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY LEACH, TARTAGLIONE, STACK, ERICKSON, GREENLEAF, BREWSTER, WARD, HUGHES, SCHWANK, RAFFERTY, BROWNE, FONTANA, PILEGGI, DINNIMAN, WAUGH, FERLO, SOLOBAY, COSTA, ALLOWAY AND EARLL, NOVEMBER 1, 2011 |
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| INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, NOVEMBER 1, 2011 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Designating the month of November 2011 as "Hydrocephalus |
2 | Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania, and urging governmental |
3 | agencies to collect disease incidence data relating to |
4 | hydrocephalus. |
5 | WHEREAS, Hydrocephalus (Hc) is a condition in which the |
6 | primary characteristic is excessive accumulation of fluid in the |
7 | brain; and |
8 | WHEREAS, Hc was once known as "water on the brain," where the |
9 | "water" is actually cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear fluid |
10 | that surrounds the brain and spinal cord; and |
11 | WHEREAS, The excessive accumulation of CSF results in an |
12 | abnormal widening of spaces in the brain called ventricles, |
13 | which creates harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain; and |
14 | WHEREAS, CSF has three important life-sustaining functions: |
15 | (1) to keep the brain tissue buoyant, acting as a |
16 | cushion or "shock absorber"; |
17 | (2) to act as the vehicle for delivering nutrients to |
18 | the brain and removing waste; and |
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1 | (3) to flow between the cranium and spine and compensate |
2 | for changes in intracranial blood volume, the amount of blood |
3 | within the brain; |
4 | and |
5 | WHEREAS, The balance between production and absorption of CSF |
6 | is critically important; and |
7 | WHEREAS, Because CSF is made continuously, medical conditions |
8 | that block its normal flow or absorption will result in an over- |
9 | accumulation of CSF, and the resulting pressure of the fluid |
10 | against brain tissue is what causes Hc; and |
11 | WHEREAS, Hc is a serious neurological condition for which |
12 | there is no known cure, and it affects an estimated one million |
13 | Americans; and |
14 | WHEREAS, Hc can affect anyone at anytime of life for no known |
15 | cause or one of 180 known causes; and |
16 | WHEREAS, One out of every 500 babies are born with Hc; and |
17 | WHEREAS, Hc is the leading cause for brain surgery in |
18 | children in the United States; and |
19 | WHEREAS, Posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) is a frequent and |
20 | serious complication that follows a traumatic brain injury |
21 | (TBI); and |
22 | WHEREAS, The "Signature Wound" of the war in Iraq and |
23 | Afghanistan is TBI caused by explosions, and TBI has become one |
24 | of the most common combat wounds suffered in Iraq; and |
25 | WHEREAS, If PTH goes unrecognized or untreated, it could |
26 | greatly impact and increase morbidity or the mortality rate |
27 | following a TBI; and |
28 | WHEREAS, More than 375,000 older Americans have Hc, which |
29 | often goes undetected or misdiagnosed as dementia, Alzheimer's |
30 | disease or Parkinson's disease; and |
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1 | WHEREAS, The standard treatment for Hc was developed in 1952 |
2 | and carries multiple risks, including shunt failure, infection, |
3 | over drainage, under drainage and death; and |
4 | WHEREAS, Children with Hc may have significantly impaired |
5 | learning, memory and executive functions; and |
6 | WHEREAS, With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, people |
7 | with Hc have a greater chance to live full and productive lives; |
8 | and |
9 | WHEREAS, Each year, the people of the United States spend in |
10 | excess of $1 billion to treat Hc; and |
11 | WHEREAS, A September 2005 conference sponsored by seven |
12 | institutes of the National Institutes of Health, and titled, |
13 | "Hydrocephalus: Myths, New Facts, Clear Directions," resulted in |
14 | efforts to initiate new, collaborative research and treatment |
15 | efforts; and |
16 | WHEREAS, Accurate statistics reflecting the rate, cause and |
17 | outcome of incidence of Hc and the health and education burden |
18 | this condition has on individuals and families have not yet been |
19 | collected by the Federal and State governments; and |
20 | WHEREAS, Further research into the epidemiology, |
21 | pathophysiology, disease burden and improved treatment of Hc |
22 | should be conducted within the Federal and State governments; |
23 | therefore be it |
24 | RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of November |
25 | 2011 as "Hydrocephalus Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania so that |
26 | Pennsylvanians can become more familiar with Hc and the |
27 | individuals dedicated to finding its cure. |
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