Danny Bonaduce to Undergo Brain Surgery Following Medical Scare

The Partridge Family star Danny Bonaduce will undergo brain surgery later this month. The actor, who has been battling a “mystery illness” for the past year, revealed that after months of seeking help from doctors, he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in March, TMZ reported. Hydrocephalus is a neurological disorder caused by the abnormal buildup of fluid within the brain, which causes pressure inside of your head and can keep your brain from functioning properly, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There is no cure for hydrocephalus, but it can be treated with surgery. Bonaduce told TMZ he is scheduled to undergo brain surgery on Monday, June 5.

According to Bonaduce, the goal of the surgery is to alleviate his symptoms. During the surgery, doctors will drain the liquid from his brain through a shunt. Cleveland Clinic notes that while there are two types of brain surgeries used to treat hydrocephalus, endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) being the second, the surgical placement of a shunt is the most common treatment. The shunt “drains the excess CSF to another area of your body where it can be absorbed.” Bonaduce did acknowledge that there is a chance the surgery will not alleviate all of his symptoms, though he remains in good spirits.

Bonaduce first began experiencing symptoms, including speech and mobility issues, in April 2022, with the actor sharing during an interview with Good Morning America in April 2022 that his wife, Amy Railsback, was the first to notice his symptoms. Bonaduce underwent a series of tests, which ruled out a possible stroke and was in the hospital for several days. Bonaduce said that he “couldn’t walk. I couldn’t keep my balance. I slurred really badly. I couldn’t remember anything.” His sister, Celia, later shared that Bonaduce’s “balance sucks – super sucks – and all the great medical minds of Seattle are at work trying to solve this conundrum.”

Just a few months later, in May 2022, Bonaduce announced he would be taking “a temporary medical leave” from his Seattle-based radio show, The Danny Bonaduce & Sarah Morning Show, as he worked “towards receiving a diagnosis.” Bonaduce told his fans at the time, “I need time to focus on my health.”

Bonaduce ultimately saw hundreds of doctors and spent months seeking a diagnosis before he was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. The actor has since returned to his radio show, which he has been doing from his home.