DEREK'S STORY

Derek Young loves to swim. It's a sport that the 11-year-old trains hard for - more than an hour a day, five days a week. He relishes his time in the water, especially when the weather is warm.

Looking at the lanky swimmer with the handsome face and sheepish grin, one would never know he was born with hydrocephalus, or fluid on the brain. Hydrocephalus is present at birth and occurs in about two out of 1,000 births. Thanks to the CHOC Neuroscience Institute and its medical director, Dr. Michael Muhonen, Derek can enjoy the water in the pool without having to worry about "water" on his brain.

Derek first came to the CHOC Neuroscience Institute in July 2004, when he needed to have a shunt revision. A shunt is a small flexible tube placed into the ventricles to divert the fluid in the brain to another, more absorbent area of the body, such as the abdomen. Derek received his shunt at another hospital when he was four months old. Nausea and horrible headaches prompted his visit to Dr. Muhonen, who performed surgery to replace a valve.

Following the surgery, Derek spent a few days at CHOC. He recovered with the help of specially trained neuroscience nurses. CHOC has the only inpatient dedicated neuroscience unit in California, and is a leader in the treatment of hydrocephalus. Derek and his family knew he was in good hands, but were eager to get him home.

His time away from the hospital, however, was short-lived. In December, Derek returned to CHOC. His parents and pediatrician suspected the original shunt had failed. Dr. Muhonen performed a third ventriculostomy, also known around CHOC and Orange County as "the Muhonen hole." During the procedure, a tiny hole is made in the wall of the third ventricle, allowing movement of fluid out of the blocked ventricle. The goal of the procedure is to remove or render unnecessary the shunt.

Derek spent five days in CHOC's pediatric intensive care unit, before returning home -- shunt free! He is happy to be back in the pool, and speaks fondly of the nurses and of Dr. Muhonen for the role they have played in improving his health and well-being. And, more importantly, for making him feel normal!

"CHOC is the best place in the world," exclaims Derek.

"Being in a hospital can be a scary experience for kids, but the doctors and nurses at CHOC are experts in their field, and the kids at CHOC can rest easy knowing they are in good hands," adds the mature 11-year-old.

Derek's mom, Pamela, agrees. "Dr. Muhonen and the entire staff at CHOC are always so attentive. They are wonderful with children, and explain everything in terms they can understand."

And, she adds, it doesn't hurt when your brilliant neurosurgeon does magic tricks!