脑室镜三脑室造瘘术治疗小儿阻塞性脑积水

目的分析本组49例病例，就手术病种和年龄的选择、手术方法及技巧做一介绍。方法全组49例，年龄1个月-18岁，平均33个月。CT、MRI及^99Tc^m-DTPA证实为脑脊液吸收功能正常的阻塞性脑积水。手术方法为经侧脑室、室间孔、三脑室置入神经内镜，于三脑室底与脚间池造一瘘孔。结果术后随访半年-5年，39例有好转；10例因无改善于术后3个月再行脑室腹腔分流手术，术后脑脊液漏3例，未有出血、感染及神经功能损伤等并发症。结论脑室镜三脑室底脚间池造瘘适用于脑脊液吸收功能正常的阻塞性脑积水。脑脊液吸收功能判断需靠同位^99Tc^m-DTPA检查。继发性脑积水治疗效果好于原发性脑积水，大龄儿童效果好于婴幼儿。     

Death in consequence of late failure of endoscopic third ventriculostomy

Introduction Late failure of originally successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is considerably less common than failure of ventriculo-peritoneal (V-P) shunt in treatment of hydrocephalus. Death in consequence of late ETV failure is a very rare complication, so far having been mentioned in literature in 13 patients only. Case report We present the case of an 11-year-old girl who died in consequence of ETV failure 26 months after the endoscopic procedure. Histopathology proved the closure of stoma by gliotic tissue. Conclusion We can assume that reduced compliance of the ventricular wall in long-term V-P shunt, aqueductal stenosis as a cause of hydrocephalus as well as rapid onset of clinical symptoms prior to ETV might be the cause of acute onset of intracranial hypertension after late ETV failure. Potential prevention of sudden death seems to be the implantation of subcutaneous reservoir during the endoscopic procedure, which allows simple and rapid reduction of intraventricular pressure.     

Complications of endoscopic third ventriculostomy

OBJECTS: Although endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is considered as the first choice in the management of noncommunicating hydrocephalus, it is not without risk or complication. METHODS: The patients who had undergone ETV only between 1998 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 85 males and 70 females, and 173 ETVs were performed in 155 patients. The patients' age ranged from 2 months to 77 years. Complications were categorized as (1) intraoperative, (2) early postoperative (<1 month), and (3) late postoperative (>1 month). Follow-up of the patients ranged from 1 to 86 months. RESULTS: Overall complication rate per patient was 15.4%, and complication per procedure was 18%. Complication rate significantly varied with the etiology of hydrocephalus (P = 0.013). The patients with Chiari type I malformation and tumor had no or very low complication rates. The complication risk was significantly higher in repeat endoscopic procedure (55.5%) than in the first procedure (10%; P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: ETV should be the first choice in the management of noncommunicating hydrocephalus. Training, experience, and meticulous technique will decrease the complication rate. Patients undergoing ETV should be followed in a similar manner to patients with cerebrospinal fluid shunts.     

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children younger than 2 years of age

Introduction Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) for the treatment of hydrocephalus of different etiologies is still controversial in children younger than 2 years of age. The success rate of ETV in this group of patients is analyzed in this study. Materials and methods The series consisted of 21 patients treated with ETV. The mean age of the patients was 6.7 months, ranging from 9 days to 15 months (16 patients were younger than 1 year). The study included hydrocephalus due to idiopathic aqueductal stenosis (eight) and other congenital anomalies (four) as well as posthemorrhagic (three) and tumor-related occlusive hydrocephalus (three). Two patients presented with shunt infection and one with a shunt failure. ETV was considered to be successful when shunting could be avoided. Results ETV was successful in nine patients, with a mean follow-up period of 26.2 months. The procedure was successful in four patients with idiopathic aqueductal stenosis, in two with other congenital anomalies, in one posthemorrhagic, and in two with a tumor-related hydrocephalus. In 12 patients, the ETV was unsuccessful after a mean follow-up of 3.3 months. These patients required a shunt. Ten of them were less than 1 year old when ETV was performed. In one tumor-related hydrocephalus, a shunt was inserted after a meningitis after tumor removal. Conclusions The success of ETV in children younger than 2 years of age suffering from non-communicating hydrocephalus seems to be dependent on both age and etiology. Our results show an overall success rate of 43%. In 37.5% of the children younger than 1 year of age, ETV was successful. ETV in patients with hydrocephalus due to idiopathic aqueductal stenosis seems to be more beneficial than in other causes of hydrocephalus. Presented at the Third World Conference of the International Study Group on Neuroendoscopy (ISGNE), Marburg, Germany, 15–18 June 2005.     

第三脑室底造瘘治疗梗阻性脑积水

目的：探讨对梗阻性脑积水患者采用在神经内窥镜下进行第三脑室底造瘘的手术方法。分析手术成功与失败的原因,方法：对21例不同原因造成的梗阻性脑积水患者进行了23次神经内视镜下的第三脑室底造瘘手术。结果：随访1-33个月,平均19个月,显效15例,有效2例,4例无效患者改行V-P分流术,2例接受2次造瘘;手术并发症包括颅内感染2例,严重硬膜下积液1例,暂时性脑疝1例,暂时性动眼神经麻痹1例,中脑及丘脑出血各1例,无死亡病例,结论：神经内窥镜下的第三脑室底造瘘对治疗梗阻性脑积水是一种安全、有效的手术方法,但为了提高手术疗效,减少手术并发症,应采用良好的手术器械、熟练掌握手术方法,选择适当手术患者。     

Intracranial pressure monitoring after endoscopic third ventriculostomy: an effective method to manage the ‘adaptation period’

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has become the treatment of choice for non-communicating hydrocephalus. Nevertheless, which technique should be considered of choice to identify features correlating with the failure of an endoscopic procedure and which is the optimal postoperative period care standard are still a matter of debate. Traditional neuroimaging techniques have several limitations in assessing the success of the procedure mostly in the early postoperative period. Indeed, a decrease in the ventricular size is often minimal and not visible before 3–4 weeks. MRI, able to detect the presence of a flow void signal through the third ventricle floor, has been reported to have a significantly high incidence of false positives. In our experience, the continuous measuring of intracranial pressure (ICP) by means of a ventricular catheter has been of great help in verifying the correct functioning of the communication between the ventricle and the subarachnoidal spaces during the first postoperative days. Furthermore, ICP monitoring allowed us to safely deal with the intracranial hypertension that may occur shortly after ETV.     

神经内窥镜手术治疗小儿脑积水

目的介绍一种治疗导水管狭窄性梗阻性脑积水的新方法.方法经侧脑室-室间孔-三脑室置入神经内窥镜,于三脑室底与脚间池之间造一瘘孔.结果 9例近期疗效好,前囟张力正常,2例改行脑室腹腔分流术.结论神经内窥镜下三脑室底脚间池造瘘是一种安全、有效、并发症少的微创手术.     

Complications following endoscopic intracranial procedures in children

Background The significant technological improvement of endoscopic instrumentation has allowed, in the last 10 years, a widespread diffusion of neuroendoscopic procedures. Nevertheless, severe, sometimes life-threatening, complications may occur during neuroendoscopic surgery, and the incidence and age specificity of complications in children have been underdescribed so far. Materials and methods Complications recorded in a prospectively collected database of pediatric patients undergoing neuroendoscopic procedures were analysed; the medical histories of the patients and the surgical procedures were reviewed. Results Complications occurred in 32 out of 231 (13.8%) procedures performed for the management of obstructive hydrocephalus (137), multiloculated hydrocephalus (53), arachnoid cysts (29) and intraventricular tumors (12). Subdural hygroma occurred in 11 cases, seven requiring subdural shunting. In one of these cases, infection of the subdural space occurred and required a craniotomy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infection occurred in 11 cases. In one case, a frontal abscess developed and was managed with craniotomy. CSF leak occurred in nine cases, intraventricular haemorrhages in two, technical failures in seven, subcutaneous CSF collection (managed with lumbo-peritoneal shunt) in one, thalamic contusion and post-operative transient akinetic mutism in one. This patient suddenly died 6 months later, probably as a consequence of closure of the stoma. Two patients developed secondary compartmentalisation of the ventricles after complicated endoscopic third ventriculostomy. In nine cases, these complications were associated. Overall, no patient died after the procedure (operative mortality 0), one patient died 6 months after the procedure for unexplained events (sudden death rate 0.4%), and three patients presented permanent disability as a consequence of surgical complication (permanent morbidity 1.3%). Conclusions Complication rate of neuro-endoscopic procedures is not negligible even in experienced hands. The majority are minor complications which do not affect the final outcome, but sporadically major events may occur, leading to significant problems in surgical management and, occasionally, to permanent disabilities. Careful selection of patients on pre-operative imaging studies and intensive training of surgeons are mandatory to improve results. Presented at the Third World Conference of the International Study Group on Neuroendoscopy (ISGNE), Marburg, Germany, 15–18 June 2005.     

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy for malfunction in previously shunted infants

Introduction  The usage of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) as an alternative to shunt revision in the management of shunt malfunction is gaining popularity. Methods  We review the clinical data of 45 patients who underwent ETV because of ventriculopritoneal shunt malfunction at Hacettepe University School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery between January 2002 and August 2007. Medical records of the patients were retrospectively studied. Results  Male-to-female ratio was 23/22. The cause of the hydrocephalus was aqueduct stenosis in 21 (46.9%) patients, newborn meningitis in nine (20%) patients, tumor in six (13.3%) patients, newborn intraventricular hemorrhage in four (8.8%) patients, myelomeningocele in three (6.6%), and trauma in two (2.2%) patients. Of the patients, 27 (60%) had triventricular and 18 (40%) had tetraventricular hydrocephalus at their radiologic evaluation. On admission, all patients had at least one episode of shunt dysfunction prior to ETV. Follow-up duration after surgery was 1–5 years (mean 2.46 ± 1.64 years). Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid flow studies using the cine-PC MR imaging were performed on all patients. The overall success rate for ETV after shunt malfunction was 80% with 36 patients and failure rate was 20% with nine patients. All of these nine patients had undergone shunt insertion within 10 days–1 month after unsuccessful ETV. Conclusion  Endoscopic third ventriculostomy is an effective treatment for shunt malfunction.     

神经内镜下第三脑室底造瘘术治疗交通性脑积水

目的 探讨神经内镜下第三脑室底造瘘术成功治疗交通性脑积水的手术机制和指征.方法 回顾性分析18例神经内镜下第三脑室底造瘘术治疗交通性脑积水患者的临床资料.结果 11例患者术前MRI显示第四脑室异常扩张和“喇叭形”中脑导水管出口,其中9例效果良好;另外7例无此影像学特征的均失败而需进一步行分流术.结论 神经内镜下第三脑室底造瘘术是 治疗部分交通性脑积水的有效手段,而近端脑池梗阻可能是其重要的作用机制.第四脑室相对第三脑室异常扩张和“喇叭形”中脑导水管出口可能是此类患者的影像学特征,可作为第三脑室底造瘘术治疗交通性脑积水的手术指征之一.     

内镜下行第三脑室底造瘘术治疗脑室炎后慢性脑积水

目的 探讨应用神经内镜在治疗慢性复杂脑积水的效果.方法 回顾性分析了15例用神经内镜行第三脑底造瘘术并脑室冲洗治疗的慢性复杂脑积水的病人资料.结果 15病人获得良好的效果,无并发症发生,1例病人术后15 d,脑积水复发,冉次行第三脑底造瘘时发现造瘘口闭合,二次造瘘后恢复良好.结论 神经内镜行第三脑底造瘘术并脑室冲洗治疗慢性复杂脑积水的病人有确实效果.     

Measurements of burr-hole localization for endoscopic procedures in the third ventricle in children

Objective  In a retrospective study, we measured the localization for the burr hole for neuroendoscopic procedures in the third ventricle, which are determined by anatomical landmarks like the foramen of Monro (FM) and the respective targets. Patients and methods  In 48 children, thin-sliced T2-weighted magnetic resonance images were analyzed within an imaging software tool to determine the trajectory between the FM to the floor of the third ventricle (F3V) or the entrance of the sylvian aqueduct (SA). The crossing point at the skull convexity defined the entry points. Coordinates are given relative to nasion and midline. A mean virtual entry point to reach both targets was compared to the burr-hole localization used in the respective surgeries. The tissue shift at the FM was quantified for the trajectories. Results  The entry point to reach the F3V or the SA measured 119.7 ± 26.4 mm (to nasion)–20.5 ± 11.5 mm (to midline) and 57.4 ± 26.5–18.8 ± 8.3 mm, respectively. The virtual mean entry point to reach both targets was located at 86.5 ± 25.3–20.9 ± 9.8 mm. There was a statistical difference in the entry point localization relative to nasion of the virtual mean trajectory compared with the burr-hole localization used in these patients. The tissue shift at the level of the FM using the mean virtual trajectory was significantly lower than by using the actual burr hole to the SA. Conclusions  Planning an optimal burr-hole localization is important in neuroendoscopic procedures in children, especially where the target is located around the sylvian aqueduct.     

第三脑室底造瘘术治疗梗阻性脑积水与分流术的疗效比较

目的 比较梗阻性脑积水的两种手术方法的疗效及并发症。方法 采用经神经内镜第三脑室底造瘘术治疗梗阻性脑积水35例，脑室腹腔分流术治疗梗5且性脑积水63例。结果 造瘘组：平均用时35min，症状缓解34例(97.1％)，复发1例(2．9％)，并发症3例(8.6％)，为非感染性发热；分流组：平均用时78min，症状缓解63例(100％)，复发16例(25．4％)，并发症18例(28．6％)，为分流管堵塞、感染、颅内血肿及分流管外露等。两组均无死亡。结论 经神经内镜第三脑室底造瘘术治疗梗5且性脑积水较脑室腹腔分流术的疗效相当，并发症及复发率明显降低，手术时间缩短，应作为梗阻性脑积水的首选治疗方法。     

磁共振电影成像与第三脑室底造瘘术后评估

目的 探讨相位对比磁共振电影成像法在对非交通性脑积水患者行第三脑室底造瘘术后瘘口开通状况的评估价值.方法 利用相位对比磁共振电影成像法对128例非交通性脑积水患者行神经内镜下第三脑室底造瘘术后进行瘘口的流速测定,并作为随访方法 .对部分术后临床症状缓解不佳、或在随访期内再次出现高颅压症状的患者进行二次内镜下探查,结合术中探查及二次手术前磁共振电影成像检查结果 来分析电影成像检查对判断造瘘口是否开通的准确性.结果 3例术后临床症状缓解不佳,电影成像检查显示脑脊液流过瘘口良好,二次手术探查中亦证实造瘘口处于开通状况;16例患者术后再次出现高颅压的患者,磁共振电影成像检查显示造瘘口脑脊液流速明显减小,二次内镜下手术探查显示造瘘口闭塞或明显狭窄,重新造瘘后临床症状改善.电影成像检查结果 和手术探查显示的结果 符合率为100%.结论 磁共振电影成像可以精确反映第三脑室底造瘘术后造瘘口开通情况,可以作为评估造瘘后造瘘口开通状况的金标准及重要的随访手段.     

神经内镜在松果体区生殖细胞瘤诊治中的应用

目的 探讨神经内镜在松果体区生殖细胞瘤诊治中的应用价值. 方法 对20例松果体区占位患者运用神经内镜行第三脑室底造瘘,解除梗阻性脑积水,同时在神经内镜下行活检以明确肿瘤的性质. 结果 20例患者均解除脑积水,并同时明确病理,均为生殖细胞瘤. 结论 在松果体区生殖细胞瘤的诊治中,神经内镜是一种安全有效的微侵袭诊疗方法 .     

Endoscopic excision of intraventricular neurocysticercosis in children: a series of six cases and review

Objects Neurocysticercosis (NCC) affects both adults and children, but it is uncommon in childhood. The clinical presentation and management of intraventricular neurocysticercosis (IVNCC) in children has not been described adequately. We, therefore, present our series of six children with IVNCC managed by endoscopic excision. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis of six children with IVNCC was performed. The endoscopic technique practiced is described. Complete excision of the intraventricular cyst was performed in all patients. Simultaneously, five endoscopic third ventriculostomies, one septostomy, and one foramenotomy were performed. There were no perioperative and postoperative complications. Mean follow-up duration was 24.8 months. Clinical improvement was seen in all children, and none required shunting. Follow-up radiology showed no residual lesion and decreased ventricle size in all patients. Conclusion Endoscopic IVNCC cyst excision along with internal CSF diversion is a safe and effective option and avoids shunt and its related complications in these children.     

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy for obstructive hydrocephalus in children younger than 6 months of age: is it a first-choice method?

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is considered a safe procedure and is a method of choice in treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus nowadays. In case of Sylvian aqueduct stenosis, the success rate reaches 90%. In children younger than 6 to 24 months, respectively, however, some authors report lower effectiveness ranging between 0% and 64%. The reasons of ETV failure are discussed: hyporesorption in patients with obstruction as a consequence of hemorrhage or infection, suboptimal ETV performance, especially in premature newborns, or the theory of different cerebrospinal fluid circulation in newborn babies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2006 in our clinic, 14 patients younger than 6 months having presented with obstructive hydrocephalus were treated endoscopically. Obstruction was revealed by preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. The etiology of hydrocephalus was congenital aqueduct stenosis in five patients, posthemorrhagic obstruction in eight patients, and combination of posthemorrhagic and postinfection etiology in one patient. ETV was considered successful when no shunt operation was needed in the patient. RESULTS: ETV was successful in eight patients who experienced regression of signs of intracranial hypertension and were not forced to undergo ventriculo-peritoneal (V-P) shunting. In one patient, a successful repeat ETV was performed. In the remaining six patients, V-P shunt implantation was necessary. Total success rate in our group of patients was 57%. The only complication was subdural hygroma in one patient requiring evacuation. CONCLUSION: Based on our experience, we recommend ETV as the method of choice in children younger than 6 month of age.     

Ventricular anatomy of hydrocephalus associated with myeloschisis and endoscopic third ventriculostomy

Objects To characterize the anatomical features of the ventricular regions in patients with myeloschisis and related to successful performance of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). Methods Radiological and endoscopic findings of 21 myeloschisis patients were retrospectively reviewed. Radiological features that could interfere with endoscopic procedures were (1) a huge massa intermedia (12/19), (2) sloping of the third ventricular floor (3/10), (3) narrow anteroposterior length of the third ventricular floor (2/10), and (4) narrow prepontine cistern (8/21). Endoscopic findings were (a) a narrow foramen of Monro (0/3), (b) hypertrophy of the anterior commissure (1/3), (c) sloping of the third ventricle floor (1/3), (d) a huge massa intermedia (3/3), and (e) opaque third ventricular floor (3/3). These endoscopic findings did not interfere with endoscopic procedures by using the Oi-HandyPro neuroendoscope without the above-mentioned radiological features 3 or 4. Conclusion Narrow anteroposterior length of the third ventricular floor and narrow prepontine cistern are not infrequently observed. Preoperative evaluation and intraoperative inspection of these findings are very important in successful performance of ETV.     

Spontaneous third ventriculostomy in chronic obstructive hydrocephalus

Introduction Spontaneous ventriculostomy is a rare condition, and only few cases are reported. Cine magnetic resonance imaging can demonstrate the flow from the ventriculostomy. Case report A 25-year-old woman with a known tectal glioma and hydrocephalus was proved to have spontaneous third ventriculostomy.     

Shunts vs endoscopic third ventriculostomy in infants: are there different types and/or rates of complications?

Introduction The decision-making process when we compare endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) with shunts as surgical options for the treatment of hydrocephalus in infants is conditioned by the incidence of specific and shared complications of the two surgical procedures. Review Our literature review shows that the advantages of ETV in terms of complications are almost all related to two factors: (a) the avoidance of a foreign body implantation and (b) the establishment of a ‘physiological’ cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation. Both these kinds of achievements are particularly important in infants because of the relative high rate of some intraoperative (i.e. abdominal) and late (secondary craniosynostosis, slit-ventricle syndrome) shunt complications in this specific subset of patients. On the other side, the main factor which is claimed against ETV is the relatively high risk of immediate mortality and neurological complications. Clinical manifestations of neurological structure damage seem to be more frequent in infants, probably due to the more relevant effect of parenchymal and vascular damage in this age group; however, both the immediate mortality and neurological damage risk of ETV procedures should be weighted against the long-term mortality and the late neurological damage which is not infrequently described as a consequence of shunt malfunction and proximal shunt revision procedures. Infections are possible in both ETV and extrathecal CSF procedures, especially in infants. However, the incidence of infective complications is significantly lower in case of ETV (1–5% vs 1–20%). Moreover, different from shunting procedures, infections in children with third ventriculostomy have a more benign course, being generally controlled by antibiotic treatment alone.