Adult long-term outcome of patients after congenital hydrocephalus shunt therapy

Incidence and nature of complications associated with ventriculoatrial shunt placement: A systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Ventriculoatrial shunt (VAS) is considered the second option for treating hydrocephalus, but there remains a lack of robust evidence regarding its complications profile.

PURPOSE

Evaluate the complications associated with VAS.

METHODS

Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, the authors searched Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases to identify articles reporting on the complications of VAS. Eligible articles were required to report whether complications occurred in a cohort of at least four patients. The extraction process focused on various outcome measures, including overall complications, pulmonary complications, cardiac complications, mortality, shunt revisions, glomerulonephritis, intracranial hemorrhage, and hygroma. Complications were defined as any adverse events related to the procedure, including revisions.

RESULTS

After retrieving a total of 2828 articles, 53 studies met the predefined criteria, involving 2862 patients. The overall complication rate was estimated at 33 % (95 % CI: 25-42 %), while the long-term complications rate was found to be 49 % (95 % CI: 32-67 %). Among the pediatric population, the complication rate was calculated to be 53 % (95 % CI: 39-68 %). The overall revision rate was estimated at 32 % (95 % CI: 23-41 %), with an infection rate of 5 % (95 % CI: 3-7 %). Notably, in the pediatric group, the infection rate was 10 % (95 % CI: 6-13 %). The random analysis indicated an estimated risk of 0 % for glomerulonephritis, intracranial hemorrhage, hygroma, cardiac complications, pulmonary complications, and shunt-related mortality.

CONCLUSION

VAS is a safe alternative when ventriculoperitoneal shunting is not feasible. Risk of classic severe complications is minimal. Nevertheless, caution is required when shunting critical patients. Further randomized studies are warranted to establish the ideal shunt for different patients.

The Impact of Hydrocephalus Shunt Devices on Quality of Life

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in hydrocephalus shunt technology and improvement in hydrocephalus management, many patients have chronic disability and require multiple surgeries throughout their lifetime. There is limited data from patients' perspective regarding the impact of shunt devices on quality-of-life.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was developed to evaluate the impact of shunt devices on patient quality-of-life. The survey was distributed via social media platforms of the Hydrocephalus Association, and patients self-selected to anonymously complete the online questionnaire. A literature review was performed to contextualize the findings from the survey.

RESULTS

A total of 562 survey responses were obtained from a network encompassing 35,000 members. The mean age was 30 years old (0.5-87), and 65% identified as female. Eighty one percent underwent at least 1 shunt revision surgery, with a reported average of 10 shunt revision surgeries per patient (1-200 surgeries). Occlusion, shunt migration and infection were the leading causes for revision at 60%, 47%, and 35%, respectively. In addition, 72% of patients reported pain and discomfort from the device, and 68% expressed avoidance of certain activities due to "fear of bumping shunt." Despite numerous articles discussing shunt technology, a review of the literature indicated a paucity of studies specifically evaluating the burden of shunt devices from a patient/caregiver perspective.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study suggest long-term physical and psychosocial burden associated with shunt devices. Importantly, this study highlights the need for concerted efforts to develop validated tools to study patient reported outcomes as it relates to neurocranial implanted devices.

CSF shunt valve occlusion-does CSF protein and cell count matter?

BACKGROUND

Shunt obstruction is a common cause of shunt failure in the treatment of hydrocephalus. Valve occlusion is traditionally believed to originate from elevated CSF protein or cellular components, although detailed evidence is scarce and contradictory. Therefore, this study aimed to examine CSF protein and cell count as risk factors for valve obstruction.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined 274 patients who underwent shunt placement for hydrocephalus between 2009 and 2018 and had at least 1 year follow-up. Age, aetiology of hydrocephalus, valve type, occurrence of revision, reason for revision and CSF protein and cell count at the time of shunt insertion and revision surgery were analysed.

RESULTS

Thirty-two of 274 patients (11.7%) required revision surgery due to valve occlusion. Mean time to revision was 143 days. CSF white blood cell (WBC) count but not protein was associated with valve occlusion overall. Of all obstructed valve patients, 25% showed CSF protein level within the normal range, whereas 13.6% of the patients overall showed greatly elevated CSF protein level without evidence of valve obstruction. Persistently elevated CSF protein level at the time of shunt revision was significantly associated with valve obstruction within 90 days of initial insertion (early occlusion). Children with congenital malformations and post-haemorrhagic patients were significantly overrepresented in the occlusion group, particularly in the early occlusion group.

CONCLUSION

Pathological CSF values such as WBC count and persistently elevated protein level serves as a risk factor for early valve obstruction. Late obstruction occurs independent of normal CSF values. Infants are particularly prone to early and late valve obstructions. CSF protein level at shunt insertion is not predictive of valve occlusion.

Long-Term Surveillance and Life-Time Care for Pediatric Patients Suffering from Hydrocephalus

Even though shunt surgery has been an established and widely accepted treatment for congenital hydrocephalus for five decades, long-term follow-up and functional outcome data are scarce. Based on our experience, we advocate a very rigid follow-up regimen throughout life for every hydrocephalus patient encountered with individual screening intervals not longer than 1 year in childhood and adolescence and surveillance intervals of 2 years in adulthood. A continuous treatment of the patients at the primary institution that performed hydrocephalus surgery provides an optimal setting to be prepared for the detection of adverse events of shunt malfunctioning. However, some patients may still encounter catastrophic events resulting in persistent deficits or death.

Surgical intervention for hydrocephalus in infancy; etiology, age and treatment data in a Dutch cohort

PURPOSE

To gain insight into the patient characteristics of surgically treated hydrocephalus in the Netherlands, we report the first data from the Dutch Quality Registry NeuroSurgery (QNRS) database for infants with hydrocephalus requiring surgical intervention.

METHODS

We used the prospectively gathered database concerning infants ≤ 2 years of age surgically treated for hydrocephalus. We report data from start of registry, concerning etiology, age, and treatment of patients registered. We compared data with the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN), a multicenter network of pediatric neurosurgical institutions in North America.

RESULTS

A total of 359 operated infants was registered in the period from 2010 to 2017. A drop in patients registered was seen in 2015, possibly due to revisions of the database. Most infants were operated on between 1 and 6 months of age. Cause of hydrocephalus was predominantly intracranial hemorrhage, followed by congenital causes. The proportion of infants with aqueduct stenosis and myelomeningocele as cause of hydrocephalus stayed relatively stable during this period of registration. Initial shunting was performed in 40% and reservoir/ETV as initial treatment was done in 60%. In both groups, 50% needed revision surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The first data concerning surgically treated pediatric hydrocephalus from a prospectively collected Dutch register are presented, showing similar results when comparing to the HCRN database.

Revision surgery following CSF shunt insertion: how often could it be avoided?

BACKGROUND

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt revision surgery represents a huge social and economic burden. Few studies, however, have evaluated shunt revision surgeries in the context of their avoidability, and existing data are from paediatric populations. Using ratings from an expert panel, we classified avoidable and unavoidable shunt revisions in a mixed cohort of CSF-shunt patients.

METHODS

In a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained, single-centre database, we identified all shunt systems implanted for the first time over a 10-year period (2007-2016) and all subsequent revision surgeries with a follow-up of at least 1 year. A panel of five expert shunt surgeons classified each revision surgery as avoidable or unavoidable. Rates of each were calculated and correlated with clinical data.

RESULTS

Of 210 revision surgeries (314 patients, mean age, 49.9 years; mean follow-up, 4.2 years), the panel judged 114 as unavoidable (54.3%) and 96 (45.7%) as avoidable. Level of surgeon education correlated with these rates, but even in the most experienced hands, 12.5% of revisions were classified as avoidable. Avoidable revisions occurred significantly earlier than unavoidable interventions (mean; 112 and 448 days, respectively) after the index surgery.

CONCLUSION

Rates of avoidable shunt revision surgery are alarmingly high, even in experienced hands. Avoidable revisions occur significantly earlier, predominantly within the first 3 months after the index surgery.

School performance in children with infantile hydrocephalus: a nationwide cohort study

Purpose

Little is known about the prognosis for school performance among children with all-cause infantile hydrocephalus (IHC). Using detailed educational data, we investigated the school performance for IHC patients compared to other children in Denmark.

Patients and methods

We conducted a population-based cohort study of all live-born children in Denmark (1977-2015) based on data from the Danish national health registers and the Danish educational register. The cumulative chance of completing school at age 18 years was estimated using the Aalen-Johansen estimator. The relative risks presented as ORs for not completing school, obtaining grades, or obtaining a grade point average below the national mean value were estimated using a logistic regression model.

Results

The cohort included 2,381,413 children, and of these, 2,573 were diagnosed with IHC. A total of 86% of IHC children completed compulsory school compared to 96% among other children; only 62% of IHC children who completed school received marks vs 96% among other children. Mediation analyses indicated that one-third of these poorer performances in IHC children could be attributable to their higher prevalence of epilepsy, spasticity, visual disturbances, autism, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Completion rates were similar for isolated and non-isolated hydrocephalus, and did not vary by age at diagnosis or number of surgeries. Of the children with isolated IHC, 73% obtained grades vs 58% of the children with non-isolated IHC. Poorer school performance in IHC children was also observed when considering age at school start, grade point average, and completion of further education.

Conclusion

The poorer school performance among IHC children is particularly reflected by the larger proportion not obtaining grades compared to other children. However, the performance of the IHC children obtaining grades is comparable to that of other children.

Hydrocephalus in children under the age of five from diagnosis to short-/medium-/long-term progression: a retrospective review of 142 children

The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical history and prognosis of children with early-onset hydrocephalus. The retrospective study's inclusion criteria were hydrocephalus diagnosis before the age of 5 years, independent of aetiology, and birth details, January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2014. Overall, 142 children were entered into the study, divided into 11 aetiological groups: premature-birth post-intraventricular haemorrhage (16%), brain tumours (16%), spina bifida (15%), aqueductal stenosis (8%), post-meningitis (8%), post-haemorrhage (8%), Dandy-Walker malformation (6%), unknown origin (6%), arachnoid cyst (5%), miscellaneous obstruction (4%), and various causes (8%). In total, 23 patients died, primarily from the tumour group. Ventriculostomy, performed 42 times, was successful in 20 patients. Overall, 226 internal shunts were placed in 99 children. Infectious complications affected 19% of children after shunt placement and 51% after mechanical complications. Mean follow-up was 4 years 10 months, with 61% of children progressing fairly well, especially those with aqueductal stenosis, cysts, and unknown or diverse obstructive causes. Post-meningitis hydrocephalus displayed the poorest outcome. Isolated obstructive hydrocephalus exhibited better prognosis, with most obstructive aetiologies effectively treated via ventriculostomy. Children treated by shunt placement were more at risk of complications. Aetiologies with associated abnormalities and neurological sequelae had poorer outcomes.

Functional outcome in pediatric hydrocephalus: results of applying the Spanish version of the Hydrocephalus Outcome Questionnaire

OBJECTIVE The aims of the study were to assess whether the Spanish version of the Hydrocephalus Outcome Questionnaire (HOQ) could be useful for the evaluation and comparison of outcomes in the patients in the authors' region with those in patients in other institutions and to analyze predictors of functional outcome in patients with a shunt. METHODS The authors performed this cross-sectional study between March 2015 and April 2016. All the parents of a pediatric patient with hydrocephalus who attended the Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga neurosurgery outpatient clinic were invited to enroll in the study and complete the HOQ-Spanish version. Age at diagnosis and at the time of the study, clinical data, shunt complications, and socioeconomic factors were also recorded. A descriptive analysis was performed, and independent variables related to the HOQ scores were studied. RESULTS A total of 132 patients participated in the study (100% participation rate). The mean ages were 16.74 months (range 0-142 months) at diagnosis and 10.45 years (range 5-16 years) at the time of the study. The mean overall HOQ score was 0.68 (on a scale from 0 [worse] to 1.0 [best]). Factors related to a worse quality of life were seizures, motor or visual impairment, shunt infection, need for shunt revision, need for more than 2 shunt revisions (range 0-8 revisions), symptomatic overdrainage, and older age at the time of the study. CONCLUSIONS The HOQ-Spanish version is useful in the authors' region; the dimension scores found in this study were comparable to those previously reported by referral centers. Future goals should be to prevent shunt complications, routinely get children to reach functional status, and refer patients for adjuvant therapy promptly.

Long-term mortality rates in pediatric hydrocephalus-a retrospective single-center study

PURPOSE

Very long-term follow-up and outcome are rare for pediatric patients with hydrocephalus and shunt operations. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term mortality rates in these patients.

METHODS

Pediatric patients with first shunt operation between 1982 and 1992 were included. For each patient, time and cause of death were determined. Further, patients with first operation from 1982 to 1987 were compared to those first operated from 1988 to 1992.

RESULTS

One-hundred thirty-seven patients were included. Etiologies of hydrocephalus were intraventricular hemorrhage (31.4 %), meningomyelocele (25.5 %), postinfectious (11.7 %), congenital (10.2 %), posterior fossa cyst (8.8 %), aqueductal stenosis (8 %), and others (4.4 %). Overall, 53 patients (38.7 %) died. The percentage of patients surviving 1, 2, 10, and 20 years after first operation were 82.6, 73.6, 69.4, and 65.3 %, respectively. In 23 patients, the cause of death was related to shunt treatment: shunt infection was diagnosed in 18 and acute shunt dysfunction in 5 patients. Mortality was considerably higher for patients with their first operation in time period 1982-1987 compared to time period 1988-1992 (51 versus 25 %). The reduction of mortality was mainly due to an increased survival after shunt infection. Eighty-seven patients survived more than 20 years after initial shunt operation. Of those long-term survivors, three (3.4 %) patients died 22-24 years after first operation.

CONCLUSION

Mortality in hydrocephalic pediatric patients is high especially in the first postoperative years but is even significant in adult patients with pediatric hydrocephalus. As deaths occur even after 20 years, routine follow-up of long-term survivors remains necessary.

Surgical outcome of the shunt: 15-year experience in a single institution

PURPOSE

Surgical outcome after shunt insertion in pediatric hydrocephalus can vary greatly. Although first shunt survival rates and complications have been studied by several teams, much less is known about survival and complications of subsequent systems. The goals of this study were to evaluate the surgical outcome in a series of pediatric patients followed for a long time and establish the differences between first and subsequent extracranial shunt survival and complications.

METHODS

We undertook a retrospective study in pediatric patients treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunts between 2000 and 2015 at our institution. Surgical outcome was assessed, and different shunt survival curves were studied with Kaplan-Meier. Complications related to each shunt failure were examined and compared.

RESULTS

A total of 166 patients underwent 425 procedures, with a mean follow-up period of 93 months. The median number of shunt revision surgeries was 2. Shunt survival rates were better with the first shunt compared to those with the subsequent shunts. The main complication necessitating system revision surgery was overdrainage, the frequency of proximal and distal dysfunctions was similar in all the shunt failures, and isolated ventricle and infection were more frequent in younger patients. Shunt-related infections accounted for 7 % of the procedures, and the shunt independence rate was 10 %.

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of complications related to shunt failure in pediatric patients changes during follow-up. A strict protocol of overdrainage detection and active treatment could explain the need for repeat surgeries and the progressively shorter shunt survival time in our series.

Can patients with a CSF shunt SCUBA dive?

BACKGROUND

Shunt placement for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion is one of the most commonly performed procedures in neurosurgery. Pleasure or sports diving is a popular sport enjoyed by millions. At present, no guidelines exist to affirm the safety of diving in the presence of a CSF shunt.

METHODS

Literature search and review of medical fitness regulations used by diving organisations.

RESULTS

Although the available evidence is anecdotal, no reports of shunt-related complications exist and in vitro studies show lasting functionality.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with CSF shunts should undergo careful evaluation including assessment of their cognitive and physical needs as well as co-morbidities. Having a CSF shunt in situ is not in itself a contraindication to SCUBA diving.

Clinical and Surgical Factors Associated With Increased Epilepsy Risk in Children With Hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND

Children with hydrocephalus are at risk for epilepsy both due to their underlying condition and as a consequence of surgical treatment; however, the relative contributions of these factors remain unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The authors sought to characterize epilepsy among children with infancy-onset hydrocephalus and to examine the risks of epilepsy associated with hydrocephalus subtype and with factors related to surgical treatment.

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of all children with infancy-onset hydrocephalus treated at a major regional children's hospital during 2002 to 2012, with follow-up to ascertain risk factors and epilepsy outcome through April 2015. Poisson regression was used to calculate adjusted risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations.

RESULTS

Among 379 children with hydrocephalus, 86 (23%) developed epilepsy (mean onset age = 2.7 years), almost one fifth of whom had a history of infantile spasms. Relative to spina bifida-associated hydrocephalus, children with other major hydrocephalus subtypes had fourfold higher risks of developing epilepsy. Among children who underwent surgery, surgical infection doubled the risk of epilepsy (risk ratio = 2.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.4 to 3.0). Epilepsy was associated with surgical failure for intracranial reasons but not extracranial reasons (risk ratio = 1.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.1 to 2.7; risk ratio = 1.1, 95% confidence interval = 0.7 to 1.9, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Epilepsy is common among children with hydrocephalus. Compared with children with spina bifida-associated hydrocephalus, children with other major hydrocephalus subtypes have a markedly increased risk of epilepsy. Surgical infection doubles the risk of epilepsy.

Hydrocephalus in aqueductal stenosis--a retrospective outcome analysis and proposal of subtype classification

Treatment of aqueductal stenosis (AQS) has undergone several paradigm shifts during the past decades. Currently, endoscopic ventriculostomy (ETV) is recommended as treatment of choice. Several authors have addressed the issue of variable ETV success rates depending on age and pathogenetic factors. However, success rates have usually been defined as "ETV non-failure." The aim of the study was a retrospective analysis of radiological and neurological treatment response after ETV or VP-shunting (VPS) in age-dependent subtypes of AQS.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eighty patients (median age 12.0 years, range 0-79 years) have been treated for MRI-proven aqueductal stenosis. Neurological treatment success was defined by neurological improvement and, in childhood, head circumference. Radiological response was measured as Evan's index in follow-up MRI. Initial signs and symptoms, type of surgery, and complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

Four types of AQS have been defined with distinct age ranges and symptomatology: congenital type I (n = 24), chronic progressive (tectal tumor-like) type II (n = 23), acute type III (n = 10), and adult chronic (normal-pressure hydrocephalus-like) type IV (n = 23). Retrospective analysis of neurological and radiological outcome suggested that congenital type I (<1 years of age) may be more successfully treated with VPS than with ETV (81 vs. 50 %). Treatment of chronic juvenile type II (age 2-15) by ETV 19 % compared to 57 % after VP-shunt, but similar neurological improvement (>80 %). There has been no influence of persistent ventriculomegaly in type II after ETV in contrast to VPS therapy for neurological outcome. Adult acute type III (age > 15 years) responded excellent to ETV. Chronic type IV (iNPH-like) patients (age > 21) responded neurologically in 70 % after ETV and VPS, but radiological response was low (5 %).

CONCLUSION

AQS can be divided into four distinct age groups and types in regards of clinical course and symptomatology. Depending on the AQS type, ETV cannot be unequivocally recommended. Congenital type I AQS may have a better neurological outcome with VP-shunt whereas acute type III offers excellent ETV results. Chronic progressive type II still requires prospective investigation of long-term ETV outcome, especially when ventriculomegaly persists. Late chronic type IV seems to result in similar outcome after VP-shunt and ETV.

Adult long-term health-related quality of life of congenital hydrocephalus patients

OBJECT

Congenital hydrocephalus has a major impact on the lives of patients and their relatives, as well as their long-term neurological development and social integration. The aim of this study was to assess the self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients after reaching adulthood.

METHODS

A total of 31 patients who required CSF shunt treatment for congenital hydrocephalus within the 1st year of life (between 1963 and 1987) agreed to undergo a structured SF-36 self-assessment. An age-matched German standard cohort was used as control. Additional parameters of surgical, social, and global neurological outcome were analyzed. The mean patient age was 35 years (range 26-51 years, 13 females and 18 males). Hydrocephalus etiologies were posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (n = 9), postinfectious hydrocephalus (n = 5), aqueductal stenosis (n = 10), myelomeningocele (n = 2), and unknown cause (n = 5).

RESULTS

The mean modified Rankin Scale score was 1.6 (range 0-4). Hydrocephalic patients achieved lower scores for the SF-36 items physical functioning (70.5 vs. 93.5, p < 0.05), physical role functioning (74.2 vs. 88.3, p < 0.05), and general health perceptions (64.5 vs. 72.3, p < 0.05). Emotional, social role functioning, and mental health items did not differ between the groups. Assessment of vitality and pain resulted in a trend to worse values. Whereas the Physical Component Summary score was lower (46.1 vs. 54.3, p < 0.05), the Mental Component Summary score was not significantly different (50.2 vs. 48.7, p = 0.3). There was neither a statistically significant difference between subgroups of different etiologies nor an association with the number of subsequent hydrocephalus-related surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS

Adult HRQOL for patients with congenital hydrocephalus appears to be similar to that for healthy con with regard to mental health and social functioning aspects. Physical impairment is a predominant factor of compro quality of life.

Using individualized opening pressure to determine the optimal setting of an adjustable proGAV shunt in treatment of hydrocephalus in infants

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to describe the authors' experiences with the adjustable gravitational proGAV shunt system in treating infants' hydrocephalus.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The proGAV was implanted in 29 infants (11 boys and 18 girls, median age 9 months) with hydrocephalus of various origins between January 2010 and June 2014. The opening pressure was chosen based on the intraventricular pressure which was measured during operation, and a gravitational unit with a fixed opening pressure (15 cm H2O) was selected.

RESULT

Regular clinical follow up ranged from 6 to 36 months, with a mean follow-up time of 15.7 ± 7.9 months. Five of these patients (17.2%) underwent shunt revision because of malfunction, including two infections (6.9%), two shunt exposed (6.9%), and one proximal catheter occlusion (3.4%). For readjustment in 10 infants, the opening pressure was changed at least once during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

The proGAV is efficacious in the treatment of hydrocephalus in infants. This individual selection of the opening pressures makes it probable that a better match of chosen opening pressure and actual hydraulic requirements of the patient might occur.