Hydrocephalus in adults (original) (raw)

An overview of hydrocephalus and shunts used in the clinical management of hydrocephalus

2023

Hydrocephalus is a complex neurological condition characterized by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the ventricles of the brain, leading to increased intracranial pressure. The clinical management of hydrocephalus often involves the surgical placement of a shunt system to divert CSF and restore normal fluid dynamics. This article provides a comprehensive overview of hydrocephalus, its etiology, clinical presentation, and various types of shunts used in its management. The outline of this report encompasses the principles of shunt surgery, indications for shunt placement and primary types of shunts used in the clinical management of hydrocephalus, including ventriculoperitoneal (VP), ventriculoatrial (VA), ventriculopleural (VPL), lumboperitoneal (LP) and ventriculo-subgaleal (VS) shunts. Additionally some non-conventional shunts such as ventriculo-osseous, ventriculo renal, ventriculo gall bladder, intraventricular (Aqueductal stents) and long-tunnelled external ventricular drains are also discussed. The distinct features of each shunt type, its associated advantages, limitations and complications are also outlined together with a comparison between pressure vs flow regulated valves. An understanding of the different shunt types and their specific characteristics is essential for clinicians to make informed decisions in tailoring treatment to individual patients. This review offers a comprehensive understanding of shunt characteristics which we believe will empower clinicians to make informed decisions tailored to individual patients, ensuring effective CSF diversion and long-term management of hydrocephalus.

Experience with Ventriculoatrial Shunt

Pakistan Journal Of Neurological Surgery, 2021

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion through shunting, either internal or external, is the standard of care for hydrocephalic patients. Although Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is always the first choice, right atrium for Ventriculoatrial (VA) shunt is considered a suitable and convenient option for drainage of excess CSF in patients with history of abdominal surgeries, peritoneal infection or shunt obstruction.1 Here we are reporting our experience with a patient who underwent VA shunt insertion because of a previous malfunctioning VP shunt. A thorough review of the literature revealed that, although reported worldwide, there is an apparent deficiency of similar reports from Arabian Gulf region. Through this case report, we aim to shed light on this internal CSF diversion method, which could be considered in centers lacking advanced care facilities for procedures like Endoscopic 3rd Ventriculostomy (ETV).

A survey of the first complication of newly implanted CSF shunt devices for the treatment of nontumoral hydrocephalus

Childs Nervous System, 1994

The results of an international multicenter study concerning the first complication of newly implanted cerebrospinal fluid shunts in nontumoral hydrocephalus are the subject of the present report. The authors have collected information on 773 cases from four continents. In particular, the following data were evaluated in relation to the general incidence of complications recorded in the first follow-up year: the patient's age at the operation, the etiology of hydrocephalus, the type of CSF shunt device used, and the modality of the surgical procedures. The overall complication rate in the series was 29%. Age and etiology of hydrocephalus appear to play a major role in influencing the complication rate; on the other hand, the choice of a specific CSF shunt device seems to be less important in this respect.

The retrograde ventriculosinus shunt: concept and technique for treatment of hydrocephalus by shunting the cerebrospinal fluid to the superior sagittal sinus against the direction of blood flow

Child's Nervous System, 2001

A retrograde ventriculosinus (RVS) shunt is a watertight connection that delivers excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) against the direction of blood flow. This method of CSF shunting utilizes the impact pressure (IP) of the bloodstream in the SSS to maintain the intraventricular pressure (IVP) more than the sinus pressure (SP) regardless of changes in posture or intrathoracic pressure (ITP) and discourages stagnation and clotting of blood at the venous end of the connection. It also utilizes collapse of the internal jugular vein (IJV) in the erect posture to prevent siphonage. During the past 8 years, 50 RVS shunts were successfully implanted using valveless shunting catheters. There were no problems related to incorrect CSF drainage or sinus thrombosis. The results indicated arrest of the hydrocephalic process, normalization of the IVP and proper shunt function.

Treating Hydrocephalus with Retrograde Ventriculosinus Shunt: Prospective Clinical Study

World Neurosurgery, 2018

Van Roost-BACKGROUND: Since the 1950s, hydrocephalus has been be treated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts, usually to the peritoneal cavity or to the right cardiac atrium. However, because of their siphoning effect, these shunts lead to nonphysiologic CSF drainage, with possible comorbidity and high revision rates. More sophisticated shunt valve systems significantly increase costs and technical complexity and remain unsuccessful in a subgroup of patients. In an attempt to obtain physiologic CSF shunting, many neurosurgical pioneers shunted towards the dural sinuses, taking advantage of the physiologic antisiphoning effect of the internal jugular veins. Despite several promising reports, the ventriculosinus shunts have not yet become standard neurosurgical practice.-METHODS: In this single-center prospective clinical study, we implanted the retrograde ventriculosinus shunt, as advocated by El-Shafei, in 10 patients. This article reports on our operation technique and long-term outcome, including 4 patients in whom this shunt was implanted as a rescue operation.-RESULTS: Implantation of a ventriculosinus shunt proved to be feasible, warranting physiologic drainage of CSF. However, in only 3 of 14 patients, functionality of the retrograde ventriculosinus shunt was maintained during more than 6 years of follow-up. In our opinion, these shunts fail because present venous access devices are difficult to implant correctly and become too easily obstructed. After discussion of possible causes of this frequent obstruction, a new dural venous sinus access device is presented.-CONCLUSION: An easy-to-implant and thrombogenicresistant dural venous sinus access device needs to be developed before ventriculosinus shunting can become general practice.

Comparing the Efficiency of Two Treatment Methods of Hydrocephalus: Shunt Implantation and Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy

2019

Introduction: Hydrocephalus is one of the most common diseases in children, and its treatment requires brain operation. However, the pathophysiology of the disease is very complicated and still unknown. Methods: Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) and Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt (VPS) implantation are among the common treatments of hydrocephalus. In this study, Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) hydrodynamic parameters and efficiency of the treatment methods were compared with numerical simulation and clinical follow-up of the treated patients. Results: Studies have shown that in patients under 19 years of age suffering from hydrocephalus related to a Posterior Fossa Brain Tumor (PFBT), the cumulative failure rate was 21% and 29% in ETV and VPS operation, respectively. At first, the ETV survival curve shows a sharp decrease and after two months it gets fixed while VPS curve makes a gradual decrease and reaches to a level lower than ETV curve after 5.7 months. Post-operative complications in ETV and VPS methods are 17% and 31%, respectively. In infants younger than 12 months with hydrocephalus due to congenital Aqueduct Stenosis (AS), and also in the elderly patients suffering from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), ETV is a better treatment option. Computer simulations show that the maximum CSF pressure is the most reliable hydrodynamic index for the evaluation of the treatment efficacy in these patients. After treatment by ETV and shunt methods, CSF pressure decreases about 9 and 5.3 times, respectively and 2.5 years after shunt implantation, this number returns to normal range. Conclusion: In infants with hydrocephalus, initial treatment by ETV was more reasonable than implanting the shunt. In adult with hydrocephalus, the initial failure in ETV occurred sooner compared to shunt therapy; however, ETV was more efficient.

Shunting for hydrocephalus: analysis of techniques and failure patterns

Journal of Surgical Research, 2014

Keywords: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) Laparoscopic technique (Lap technique) Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) a b s t r a c t Background: Hydrocephalus is characterized by ventricular dilatation because of progressive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid. Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) affects a subset of patients representing a reversible clinical triad of gait disturbance, urinary incontinence, and dementia with normal cerebrospinal fluid pressure and composition. Various shunting procedures have been used for treatment, but techniques and outcomes remain under debate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of 232 patients with and without NPH after the first-time Ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement and assessed patterns of failure between December 2004 and December 2012. Results: Mean age was 54.7 y in non-NPH and 71.9 y in NPH patients. We used open technique in 34.3% and laparoscopic technique in 65.7% of NPH patients and 32.7% and 67.3% of the non-NPH patients, respectively. A total of 36 of 232 patients displayed shunt failure, 16.4% in NPH and 15.2% in non-NPH patients. Twenty-three of 155 patients failed after laparoscopic and 13 of 77 failed after open placement. Proximal shunt failure was more frequent in the non-NPH cohort. Distal failures accounted for 13 of 232 cases, and the difference between laparoscopic (six of 155) and open failures (seven of 77) was profound, but not between NPH-and non-NPH patients. Conclusions: Shunt failures are related to the placement method. Non-NPH patients showed more proximal failures. NPH patients showed fewer proximal failures. Less distal failures

Hydrocephalus and Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts: Modes of Failure and Opportunities for Improvement

Critical Reviews in Biomedical Engineering, 2016

Between 0.5 and 4 of every 1000 children are born with hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is an over-accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain, which can affect cognitive function, vision, appetite, and cranial nerve function. Left untreated, hydrocephalus can result in death. The current treatment for hydrocephalus uses ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts with valves to redirect CSF from the ventricles into the peritoneum. Shunt technology is limited by a number of complications, which include infection after implantation, shunt obstruction due to clot formation or catheter obstruction by scar tissue or choroid plexus, disconnection and tubing migration, and overdrainage or underdrainage of CSF due to valve malfunction. While modifications to surgical procedures and shunt design have been introduced, only modest improvements in outcomes have been observed. Here we provide an overview of hydrocephalus, VP shunts, and their modes of failure, and we identify numerous areas of opportunity for biomedical engineers and physicians to collaborate to improve the performance of VP shunts.