gms | German Medical Science

61st Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC) as part of the Neurowoche 2010
Joint Meeting with the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery on the 20 September 2010

German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

21 - 25 September 2010, Mannheim

Endoscopic ventricular irrigation and treatment of obstruction as a complimentary option in infantile posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (Brain Wash)

Meeting Abstract

  • Markus Bittl - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Stuttgart, Deutschland
  • Javier Segovia von Riehm - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Stuttgart, Deutschland
  • Lars Füllbier - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Stuttgart, Deutschland
  • Nikolai J. Hopf - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Klinikum Stuttgart, Deutschland

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 61. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) im Rahmen der Neurowoche 2010. Mannheim, 21.-25.09.2010. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2010. DocP1803

doi: 10.3205/10dgnc274, urn:nbn:de:0183-10dgnc2742

Published: September 16, 2010

© 2010 Bittl 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

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Objective: To present endoscopic techniques used as a complimentary tool in the treatment of infantile posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus

Methods: Three cases of preterm-low-birth weight infants with intraventricular hemorrhage and ventricular distention are presented. In addition to reservoir placement, the treatment included endoscopic ventricular irrigation and ventriculostomy and/or aqueductoplasty in order to treat hydrocephalus and, if possible, avoid the placement of a shunt.

Results: In one patient hydrocephalus was successfully treated by endoscopic ventricular irrigation and third ventriculostomy. No shunt was necessary in this patient. In the second patient an isolated fourth ventricle could be treated by ventricular irrigation and aqueductal stenting. Third ventriculostomy was only temporarily successful. A single ventriculo-peritoneal shunt was necessary. The third patient needed a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt after ventricular irrigation and third ventriculostomy were only temporarily sufficient to treat hydrocephalus. No procedure related complications were observed.

Conclusions: Endoscopic ventricular irrigation and a variety of endoscopic procedures can expand the armamentarium in the treatment of infantile posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus. It may be possible to avoid shunt placement in some cases.