Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy Instead of Shunt Revision in Children Younger Than 3 Years of Age

Clinical Outcome of Endoscopic Procedure in Patients with Shunt Malfunction

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to analyze the clinical outcomes of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and endoscopic septostomy when shunt malfunction occurs in a patient who has previously undergone placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

METHODS

From 2001 to 2020 at Seoul National University Children's Hospital, patients who underwent ETV or endoscopic septostomy for shunt malfunction were retrospectively analyzed. Initial diagnosis (etiology of hydrocephalus), age at first shunt insertion, age at endoscopic procedure, magnetic resonance or computed tomography image, subsequent shunting data, and follow-up period were included.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients were included in this retrospective study. Twenty-nine patients, 18 males and 11 females, with shunt malfunction underwent ETV. At the time of shunting, the age ranged from 1 day to 15.4 years (mean, 2.4 years). The mean age at the time of ETV was 13.1 years (range, 0.7 to 29.6 years). Nineteen patients remained shunt revision free. The 5-year shunt revisionfree survival rate was 69% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.88). Seven patients, three males and four females, with shunt malfunction underwent endoscopic septostomy. At the time of shunting, the age ranged from 0.2 to 12 years (mean, 3.9 years). The mean age at the time of endoscopic septostomy was 11.9 years (range, 0.5 to 29.5 years). Four patients remained free of shunt revision or addition. The 5-year shunt revision-free survival rate was 57% (95% CI, 0.3-1.0). There were no complications associated with the endoscopic procedures.

CONCLUSION

The results of our study demonstrate that ETV or endoscopic septostomy can be effective and safe in patients with shunt malfunction.

Long-term quality of life after ETV or ETV with consecutive VP shunt placement in hydrocephalic pediatric patients

PURPOSE

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventriculoperitoneal shunting are well-established treatments of obstructive hydrocephalus (HCP) in adult and pediatric patients. However, there is a lack of data with regard to the quality of life (QoL) of these patients during long-term follow-up METHODS: Inclusion criteria were pediatric patients with endoscopic treatment of hydrocephalus at the University Medicine Greifswald between 1993 and 2016. Patients older than 14 years at present were assessed with the Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire. Patients younger than 14 years of age were assessed with the KINDL-R questionnaire that was completed by their parents. Patients' values were compared with the scores of a corresponding age-matched group of the healthy population and with patients who received later shunt treatment. Information about comorbidities, current symptoms, and educational level were gained by an additional part. Comparative analysis between patients with ETV success and failure (defined as shunt implantation after ETV) was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 107 patients (53 m, 54f) were included. Fifty-seven/107 patients (53.3%) were considered as ETV success. Mean age at ETV was 6.9 ± 5.9 years. Fifty-four statements of 89 patients that are still alive were gained (response rate 63%). Of these, 49 questionnaires were complete and evaluable (23 m, 26f; mean age 19.8 ± 10.0 years with an average follow-up period of 13.7 ± 7.2 years). Twenty-six/49 patients (53.1%) are considered ETV success. No statistically significant differences could be obtained between patients with ETV success and ETV failure. Patients older 14 years show QoL within normal range, patients younger than 14 years show significantly lower result regarding their environment of peers and social contacts. Patients younger than 6 months at the time of ETV and patients with posthemorrhagic HCP show significantly lower physical QoL. Gait disturbance, fatigue, and seizures are associated with a lower QoL, and educational level is lower than in the normal population.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent ETV in childhood do not have a lower health-related QoL in general. Subsequent insertions of ventriculoperitoneal (vp) shunts do not lower QoL. Certain subgroups of the patients show lower results compared to the healthy population.

Efficacy and safety of flexible versus rigid endoscopic third ventriculostomy in pediatric and adult populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a well-established surgical procedure for hydrocephalus treatment, but there is sparse evidence on the optimal choice between flexible and rigid approaches. A meta-analysis was conducted to compare efficacy and safety profiles of both techniques in pediatrics and adults. A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane until 11/10/2019. Efficacy was evaluated comparing incidence of ETV failure, while safety was defined by the incidence of perioperative complications, intraoperative bleedings, and deaths. Random-effects models were used to pool the incidence. Out of 1365 studies, 46 case series were meta-analyzed, yielding 821 patients who underwent flexible ETV and 2918 who underwent rigid ETV, with an age range of [5 days–87 years]. Although flexible ETV had a higher incidence of failure in adults (flexible: 54%, 95%CI: 22–82% vs rigid: 20%, 95%CI: 22–82%) possibly due to confounding due to etiology in adults treated with flexible, a smaller difference was seen in pediatrics (flexible: 36%, pediatric: 32%). Safety profiles were acceptable for both techniques, with a certain degree of variability for complications (flexible 2%, rigid 18%) and death (flexible 1%, rigid 3%) in pediatrics as well as complications (rigid 9%, flexible 13%), death (flexible 4%, rigid 6%) and intra-operative bleeding events (rigid 6%, flexible 8%) in adults. No clear superiority in efficacy could be depicted between flexible and rigid ETV for hydrocephalus treatment. Safety profiles varied by age but were acceptable for both techniques. Well-designed comparative studies are needed to assess the optimal endoscopic treatment option for hydrocephalus.

Converting Pediatric Patients and Young Adults From a Shunt to a Third Ventriculostomy: A Multicenter Evaluation

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is an effective primary treatment for certain forms of hydrocephalus. However, its use in children with an existing shunt is less well known.

OBJECTIVE

To report a multicenter experience in attempting to convert patients from shunt dependence to a third ventriculostomy and to determine predictors of success.

METHODS

Three participating centers provided retrospectively collected information on patients with an attempted conversion from a shunt to an ETV between December 1, 2008, and April 1, 2018. Demographic, clinical, and radiological data were recorded. Success was defined as shunt independence at the last follow-up.

RESULTS

Eighty patients with an existing ventricular shunt underwent an ETV. The median age at the time of the index ETV was 9.9 yr, and 44 (55%) patients were male. The overall success rate was 64% (51/80), with a median duration of follow-up of 2.0 yr (range, 0.1-9.4 yr). Four patients required a successful repeat ETV at a median of 1.7 yr (range, 0.1-5.7 yr) following the index ETV. Only age was predictive of ETV failure on multivariate analysis (odds ratio 0.86 [95% CI 0.78-0.94], P = .005). No patient less than 6 mo of age underwent an ETV, and of the 5 patients between 6 and 12 mo of age, 4 failed.

CONCLUSION

Although not every shunted patient will be a candidate for an ETV, nor will they be successfully converted, an ETV should at least be considered in every child who presents with a shunt malfunction or who has an externalized shunt.

Role of Secondary Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in Children: Review of an Institutional Experience

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has become a standard and safe procedure for obstructive hydrocephalus. ETV can also play an important role in children presenting with shunt malfunction with an added advantage of shunt independence. Secondary ETV can be defined as either a redo endoscopic ventriculostomy done after primary ETV stoma closure or that done in cases presenting with shunt malfunction.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of secondary ETV in the pediatric age group patients.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of 36 children (<18 years) who underwent ETV after shunt malfunction and 4 children with ETV done after previous ETV stoma closure from 2004 until 2018. In all patients, the obstructive pattern suggesting aqueduct outflow obstruction was observed on MRI. Patients were followed up for a mean period of 4.25 years.

RESULTS

ETV was considered successful if the patient avoided a shunt insertion later on in their life. Considering this definition, a success rate of 72% was observed with secondary ETV for shunt malfunction whereas a success rate of 75% was observed after primary ETV failure without any major side effects in any of the patients.

CONCLUSION

ETV can be considered a primary treatment modality in children with shunt malfunction and has a good success rate in cases presenting with closure of previously performed ETV stoma.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction caused by fractures and disconnections over 10 years of follow-up

PURPOSE

We have discussed the diagnosis and treatment approaches in patients with discontinued (disconnected or fractured) ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts that caused mechanical dysfunction.

METHODS

Between 2006 and 2016, VP shunt surgery was performed on 1357 pediatric patients in our clinic. In follow-up examinations, we retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent revision surgery. Except for diagnosis of discontinued VP shunt, by excluding revision-surgery patients, only those patients who underwent surgical treatment owing to discontinued (fracture or disconnection) catheter were included in the study. Age at first surgery, sex, reason for shunt discontinuity, anatomical region of pathology, time to discontinuity diagnosis after first surgery, and presence or absence of symptoms were evaluated.

RESULTS

One thousand three hundred fifty-seven VP shunt surgeries were performed in total, with 305 (22.4%) patients requiring revision surgery. Of these 305 patients, after accounting for other complications like obstruction, infection, overdrainage, and so on, 25 (8.1%) patients (14 male, 11 female) required re-surgery due to discontinuity. The mean age of these patients was 5.4 ± 2.1 months during the first VP shunt surgery, and the mean age during revision surgery was 71.7 months. The mean duration until discontinuity was diagnosed was 66.3 ± 24.1 months (76.1 months for catheter fractures and 45.6 months for disconnections (p 0.021)).

CONCLUSION

Disconnection and fracture are two significant mechanical VP shunt dysfunctions and must be adequately researched and understood even during routine follow-ups. A disconnected or fractured shunt may be working and it is not safe to state that the shunt is no longer needed.