Hi, Bill,

I don't know if you are still active on the forums since the post to which I am responding was posted in 2008. However, I wanted you (and others) to know that life expectancy with hydrocephalus depends on many factors including the different causes of hydrocephalus. Although it may be true that the oldest people with shunts are in their 50's, some people survive hydrocephalus without a shunt until old age. In my case, I was born with the condition but received no medical treatment for it until age 36 and my first shunt at age 40. I have had 5 more surgeries since then (a small number compared to many others) - the most recent being in April 2012.

Wishing you the best!

Lon
(Diffie)