gms | German Medical Science

56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V.
Société Française de Neurochirurgie

07. bis 11.05.2005, Strasbourg

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Can programmable Medos-Hakim Valve Codman© with Gravity Assistant Aesculap© optimize the outcome in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus?

Können programmierbar Medos-Hakim-Ventile mit Miethke Shunt-Assistent den Krankheitsverlauf bei Patienten mit idiopathischem Normaldruckhydrozephalus optimieren?

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  • corresponding author U. Meier - Department of Neurosurgery, Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin
  • J. Lemcke - Department of Neurosurgery, Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Société Française de Neurochirurgie. 56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC). Strasbourg, 07.-11.05.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. DocP144

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2005/05dgnc0412.shtml

Published: May 4, 2005

© 2005 Meier et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

Text

Objective

A significantly better outcome in patients with low pressure valves is accompanied with an increased rate of overdrainage in cases with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH).

Methods

In a prospective study, the programmable Medos-Hakim Valve Codman© with Gravity Assistant Aesculap© (MHV +GA) was implanted in 18 patients with iNPH. The patients were assessed prior to operation, after operation, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. The diagnostic pathway and technical principle of the device is presented.

Results

The outcome correlated with the opening pressure of the valve. The step by step regulation of valve opening pressure from 100 mm H2O to 70 mm H2O after 3 months and to 50 mm H2O after 6 months makes an optimal adaptation of the brain to shunt function possible without any overdrainage.

Conclusions

The clincal course of patients suffering from idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus is mainly influenced by the stage of the disease, the start of the therapy, the gravitational function and the opening pressure of the implanted device. Based on clinical experience with the programmable Medos-Hakim Valve Codman© with Gravity Assistant Aesculap (MHV + GA), we underline the advantages of this valve for the treatment of hydrocephalus especially for patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus.