The success of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children: analysis of prognostic factors

Compare the safety and efficacy of endoscopic third ventriculostomy and ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement in infants and children with hydrocephalus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement are two surgical options used for treatment of non-communicating hydrocephalus. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency and safety of these techniques in pediatric patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An extensive literature review regarding the clinical outcome, safety and efficiency of ETV and shunting in treatment of hydrocephalus was conducted in Medline, PubMed, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases up to 27 November 2015. Patient demographics, ETV and shunting success and failure rates were extracted.

RESULTS

A total of seven two-arm studies were included for quantitative analysis and 25 single-arm studies were included for systematic review. The two-arm studies recruited a total of 6995 patients: 1046 in the ETV group and 5949 in the shunt group. The pooled results showed that the 1 year success rate of ETV and shunt-placement procedure were similar (pooled RR = 0.870, 95% CI = 0.680-1.112, P = 0.266). The failure rate in the ETV treatment group was 0.9 times higher than in the shunt group; however, the results did not reach statistical significance (pooled RR = 0.893, 95% CI = 0.576-1.383, P = 0.611).

CONCLUSIONS

Both ETV and shunts are associated with similar 1 year success and failure rates. Therefore, there are no current indications to recommend one mode of treatment over the other. Future studies designed to assess the effectiveness of ETV and shunt procedures depending on patient's age and etiology are warranted.

Analysis of complications in intraventricular neuroendoscopy in children: proposal for a standardization system

Although intraventricular neuroendoscopy is considered a minimally invasive technique with good results, there is nevertheless a risk of developing certain complications. As no agreement apparently exists concerning the classification of these complications, we aim to propose a form of classification based on the results of our series, comparing them with recent publications. We undertook a retrospective study of 170 children who underwent intraventricular neuroendoscopy between 2003 and September 2020 at our center. Data were recorded on demographic and clinical variables: age, gender, presenting symptoms, etiology, number of procedures, type of procedure, and complications. Complications were divided into two main groups, intraoperative and postoperative, and in subgroups. The intraoperative complications included one group of systemic alterations and another group of surgical problems. The postoperative complications were divided into six groups: systemic, neurologic, hormone, fluid, hemorrhagic and death. A total of 202 neuroendoscopic procedures were performed in 170 children. The mean age at first surgery was 71 months (22-122). The most common etiology of the hydrocephalus was intraventricular tumors (32.9%), followed by aqueductal stenosis (13.5%). The most usual presenting sign was intracranial hypertension. The procedure most used was third ventriculostomy (62.9%). During the procedures, we experienced 5 surgical intraoperative complications (2.47% per procedure). In the postoperative period, there were 23.7% systemic complications per procedure, 12.87% neurologic, 8.41% hormone, 10.9% fluid, 0.5% hemorrhagic, and 0.99% for postoperative death. The rate of complications associated with intraventricular neuroendoscopy was similar in our series to those already published. Comparative studies require standardization for the analysis of neuroendoscopic complications.

Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in Failed Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt in Pediatric Population

Introduction

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt malfunction is common in pediatric age group patients. There is a high complication rate and revision rate of VP shunt. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) can alleviate these complications and can act as an effective alternative for the treatment of hydrocephalus in this age group of patients.

Materials and Methods

The authors retrospectively reviewed the management and outcome of 36 failed VP shunts in pediatric patients for the treatment of hydrocephalus. The surgeries were performed between November 2010 and January 2016 in a tertiary care hospital. The minimal follow-up period was 3 months. We divided the patients into the following age groups: <1 year (eight infants), 1-10 years (18 children), and 10-18 years (10 children). The success of the procedure was determined by age, sex, type of hydrocephalus, and the number of shunt revisions and malfunction before ETV. Children with different age (P = 0.839) and sex group did not show any significant data (P = 0.798). Children with communicating hydrocephalus had a success rate of 52.9% (17 patients), and children with noncommunicating hydrocephalus had a success rate of 84.2% (19 patients). The success rate in children with only one shunt malfunction was 57.1% (21 patients), whereas in 15 children with two or more shunt malfunctions, the success rate of ETV was 86.7%.

Conclusions

The authors conclude that ETV is an effective alternative for the treatment of hydrocephalus in children. Age does not present a contraindication for ETV in failed VP shunt.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy for pediatric tumor-associated hydrocephalus

OBJECTIVE

Surgical options for managing hydrocephalus secondary to CNS tumors have traditionally included ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS) when tumor resection or medical management alone are ineffective. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has emerged as an attractive treatment strategy for tumor-associated hydrocephalus because it offers a lower risk of infection and hardware-related complications; however, relatively little has been written on the topic of ETV specifically for the treatment of tumor-associated hydrocephalus. Here, the authors reviewed the existing literature on the use of ETV in the treatment of tumor-associated hydrocephalus, focusing on the frequency of ETV use and the failure rates in patients with hydrocephalus secondary to CNS tumor.

METHODS

The authors queried PubMed for the following terms: "endoscopic third ventriculostomy," "tumor," and "pediatric." Papers with only adult populations, case reports, and papers published before the year 2000 were excluded. The authors analyzed the etiology of hydrocephalus and failure rates after ETV, and they compared failure rates of ETV with those of VPS where reported.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies with data on pediatric patients undergoing ETV for tumor-related hydrocephalus were analyzed. Tumors, particularly in the posterior fossa, were reported as the etiology of hydrocephalus in 38.6% of all ETVs performed (984 of 2547 ETVs, range 29%-55%). The ETV failure rate in tumor-related hydrocephalus ranged from 6% to 38.6%, and in the largest studies analyzed (> 100 patients), the ETV failure rate ranged from 10% to 38.6%. The pooled ETV failure rate was 18.3% (199 failures after 1087 procedures). The mean or median follow-up for ETV failure assessment ranged from 6 months to 8 years in these studies. Only 5 studies directly compared ETV with VPS for tumor-associated hydrocephalus, and they reported mixed results in regard to failure rate and time to failure. Overall failure rates appear similar for ETV and VPS over time, and the risk of infection appears to be lower in those patients undergoing ETV. The literature is mixed regarding the need for routine ETV before resection for posterior fossa tumors with associated hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of tumor-related hydrocephalus with ETV is common and is warranted in select pediatric patient populations. Failure rates are overall similar to those of VPS for tumor-associated hydrocephalus.

External validation of the ETV success score in 313 pediatric patients: a Brazilian single-center study

The endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) success score (ETVSS) was developed to predict the success rate of ETV at 6 months. In this study, the authors assessed the performance of this score for > 6 months, i.e., at 12 months, and provided external validation in Brazilian children. All children undergoing first ETV (without choroid plexus cauterization) at a Brazilian single institution for > 20 years were included in the study. The ETVSS was retrospectively calculated for each patient and compared with the actual success of the procedure observed at 6 and 12 months after the procedure. A total of 313 eligible children underwent initial ETV, 34.18% of whom had undergone shunt placement before ETV. The most common etiologies were aqueductal stenosis (45%) and non-tectal brain tumors (20.8%). ETV was successful at 6 months in 229 patients (73.16%) compared with the 61.3% predicted by the ETVSS. The overall actual success rate observed at 1 year after ETV was 65.1% (204 patients). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.660 at 6 months and 0.668 at 1 year, which suggested a tendency for the ETVSS to underestimate the actual success rate of ETV at both timepoints. The ETVSS showed good success prediction in accordance with the actual ETV success rate and proved to be useful during the decision-making process of ETV.

The Scanty Knowledge of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in Infants

Introduction:

Hydrocephalus (HCP) remains one of the commonest pathologies treated in developing countries. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has become the alternative to shunt-divergen procedures in the treatment of many pathologies of the cerebral fluid in the brain. Age has been considered a limitation to perform the procedure, we started to perform ETV In younger patients earlier than many other units. Objectives: In this study, we demonstrate the overall efficacy of ETV in infants younger than 1-year of age and to subsequently report the outcome of this procedure.

Methods:

From 2000 till 2016 we have performed a total of 386 cases of ETV of all ages. 71-cases were infants (below 1-year of age). Our study was undertaken to evaluate these cases. Patients were divided into two subgroups according to the cause of hydrocephalus; obstructive HCP, communicating HCP.

Results:

Mean time for follow up was 52 months. Mean age at surgery was 137days (7- 351days). The population included 31-females and 40-males, while10 infants were premature. Success rates were; 91.6%, 63.6% correspond to each sub-group with an overall success rate of 73.24%.

Conclusion:

ETV in infants is feasible, technically more demanding. Success rate justifies the procedure to be performed in such age group of patients. ETV can be used, attentively, in cases of hydrocephalus associated with MMC, morbidity and mortality does not differ from the general population.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) in non-communicating hydrocephalus (NCH): comparison of outcome profiles in Nigerian children

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VPS) although recognized surgical options for non-communicating hydrocephalus have debatable applications.

OBJECTIVE

We analysed a prospective cohort of age-matched children with non-tumor, non-communicating hydrocephalus treated with the two surgical modalities using clinically measurable parameters.

METHODS

A single institution analysis of age-matched patients with non-communicating hydrocephalus treated with VPS or ETV over a 3-year period. Occipitofrontal circumference (OFC), milestone, shunt independence as well as complication profiles of patients were recorded and analysed. Mean follow-up period was 1.27 ± 0.19 years 95%CI). Data analysis were performed using SPSS version 15, Chicago, IL. Statistical tests were set at 95% significance level.

RESULTS

Fifty-five patients were enrolled, 25 patients had ETV, while 30 had VPS. Mean age was 2.3 ± 0.7 years (95% CI) with a range of 3 months to 4.5 years. Aqueductal stenosis was the most common indication. OFC profile decline was significant among the VPS group when compared with ETV group at 3 months follow-up (χ² = 7.59, df = 1, p < 0.05). There was no difference among the two treatment groups χ² = 2.47, df = 1, p > 0.05) in milestone profile. Thirteen percent of VPS, compared to (4%) ETV patients, had sepsis (χ² = 4.59, df = 1 p < 0.05). Ninety-two percent of ETV patients remained shunt free, while 80% of shunted patients achieved ETV independence. Two patients died among the VPS group compared to one patient in the ETV group.

CONCLUSION

VPS compared to ETV is associated with an earlier milestone and OFC response. ETV is associated with lower rates of sepsis and mortality.

Successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children depends on age and etiology of hydrocephalus: outcome analysis in 51 pediatric patients

PURPOSE

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has become the method of choice in the treatment of hydrocephalus. Age and etiology could determine success rates (SR) of ETV. The purpose of this study is to assess these factors in pediatric population.

METHODS

Retrospective study on 51 children with obstructive hydrocephalus that underwent ETV was performed. The patients were divided into three groups per their age at the time of the treatment: < 6, 6-24, and > 24 months of age. All ETV procedures were performed by the same neurosurgeon.

RESULTS

Overall SR of ETV was 80% (40/51) for all etiologies and ages. In patients < 6 months of age SR was 56.2% (9/16), while 6-24 months of age was 88.9% (16/18) and > 24 months was 94.1% (16/17) (p = 0.012). The highest SR was obtained on aqueductal stenosis. SR of posthemorrhagic, postinfectious, and spina bifida related hydrocephalus was 60% (3/5), 50% (1/2), and 14.3% (1/7), respectively. While SR rate at the first ETV attempt was 85.3%, it was 76.9% in patients with V-P shunt performed previously (p = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Factors indicating a potential failure of ETV were young age and etiology such as spina bifida, other than isolated aqueductal stenosis. ETV is the method of choice even in patients with former shunting. Fast healing, distensible skulls, and lower pressure gradient in younger children, all can play a role in ETV failure. Based on our experience, ETV could be the first method of choice for hydrocephalus even in children younger than 6 months of age.

Visual outcome after endoscopic third ventriculostomy for hydrocephalus

PURPOSE

Hydrocephalus-related symptoms are mostly improved after successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). However, visual symptoms can be different. This study was focused on visual symptoms. We analyzed the magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the orbit and visual outcomes.

METHODS

From August 2006 to November 2016, 50 patients with hydrocephalus underwent ETV. The male-to-female ratio was 33:17, and the median age was 61 years (range, 5-74 years). There were 18 pediatric and 32 adult patients. Abnormal orbital MRI findings included prominent subarachnoid space around the optic nerves and vertical tortuosity of the optic nerves. We retrospectively analyzed clinical symptoms, causes of hydrocephalus, ETV success score (ETVSS), ETV success rate, ETV complications, orbital MRI findings, and visual impairment score (VIS).

RESULTS

The median duration of follow-up was 59 months (range, 3-113 months). The most common symptoms were headache, vomiting, and gait disturbance. Visual symptoms were found in 6 patients (12%). The most common causes of hydrocephalus were posterior fossa tumor in 13 patients, pineal tumor in 12, aqueductal stenosis in 8, thalamic malignant glioma in 7, and tectal glioma in 4. ETVSS was 70 in 3 patients, 80 in 34 patients, and 90 in 13 patients. ETV success rate was 80%. ETVSS 70 showed the trend in short-term survival compared to ETVSS 90 and 80. ETV complications included epidural hematoma requiring operation in one patient, transient hemiparesis in two patients, and infection in two patients. Preoperative abnormal orbital MRI findings were found in 18 patients and postoperative findings in 7 patients. Four of six patients with visual symptoms had abnormal MR findings. Three patients did not show VIS improvement, including two with severe visual symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with severe visual impairment were found to have bad outcomes. The visual symptoms related with increased intracranial pressure should be carefully monitored and controlled to improve outcomes.

The effect and evolution of patient selection on outcomes in endoscopic third ventriculostomy for hydrocephalus: A large-scale review of the literature

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has become a popular technique for the treatment of hydrocephalus, but small sample size has limited the generalizability of prior studies. We performed a large-scale review of all available studies to help eliminate bias and determine how outcomes have changed and been influenced by patient selection over time. A systematic literature search was performed for studies of ETV that contained original, extractable patient data, and a meta-analytic model was generated for correlative and predictive analysis. A total of 130 studies were identified, which included 11,952 cases. Brain tumor or cyst was the most common hydrocephalus etiology, but high-risk etiologies, post-infectious or post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus, accounted for 18.4%. Post-operative mortality was very low (0.2%) and morbidity was only slightly higher in developing than in industrialized countries. The rate of ETV failure was 34.7% and was higher in the first months and plateaued around 20months. As anticipated, ETV is less successful in high-risk etiologies of hydrocephalus and younger patients. Younger patient age and high-risk etiologies predicted failure. ETVs were performed more often in high-risk etiologies over time, but, surprisingly, there was no overall change in ETV success rate over time. This study should help to influence optimal patient selection and offer guidance in predicting outcomes.

Failure of ETV in patients with the highest ETV success scores

OBJECTIVE Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a surgical alternative to placing a CSF shunt in certain patients with hydrocephalus. The ETV Success Score (ETVSS) is a reliable, simple method to estimate the success of the procedure by 6 months of postoperative follow-up. The highest score is 90, estimating a 90% chance of the ETV effectively treating hydrocephalus without requiring a shunt. Treatment with ETV fails in certain patients, despite their being the theoretically best candidates for the procedure. In this study the authors attempted to identify factors that further predicted success in patients with the highest ETVSSs. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of all patients treated with ETV at 3 institutions. Demographic, radiological, and clinical data were recorded. All patients by definition were older than 1 year, had obstructive hydrocephalus, and did not have a prior shunt. Failure of ETV was defined as the need for a shunt by 1 year. The ETV was considered a success if the patient did not require another surgery (either shunt placement or a repeat endoscopic procedure) by 1 year. A statistical analysis was performed to identify factors associated with success or failure. RESULTS Fifty-nine patients met the entry criteria for the study. Eleven patients (18.6%) required further surgery by 1 year. All of these patients received a shunt. The presenting symptom of lethargy statistically correlated with success (p = 0.0126, odds ratio [OR] = 0.072). The preoperative radiological finding of transependymal flow (p = 0.0375, OR 0.158) correlated with success. A postoperative larger maximum width of the third ventricle correlated with failure (p = 0.0265). CONCLUSIONS The preoperative findings of lethargy and transependymal flow statistically correlated with success. This suggests that the best candidates for ETV are those with a relatively acute elevation of intracranial pressure. Cases without these findings may represent the failures in this highly selected group.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children: prospective, multicenter results from the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network

OBJECTIVE Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is now established as a viable treatment option for a subgroup of children with hydrocephalus. Here, the authors report prospective, multicenter results from the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) to provide the most accurate determination of morbidity, complication incidence, and efficacy of ETV in children and to determine if intraoperative predictors of ETV success add substantially to preoperative predictors. METHODS All children undergoing a first ETV (without choroid plexus cauterization) at 1 of 7 HCRN centers up to June 2013 were included in the study and followed up for a minimum of 18 months. Data, including detailed intraoperative data, were prospectively collected as part of the HCRN's Core Data Project and included details of patient characteristics, ETV failure (need for repeat hydrocephalus surgery), and, in a subset of patients, postoperative complications up to the time of discharge. RESULTS Three hundred thirty-six eligible children underwent initial ETV, 18.8% of whom had undergone shunt placement prior to the ETV. The median age at ETV was 6.9 years (IQR 1.7-12.6), with 15.2% of the study cohort younger than 12 months of age. The most common etiologies were aqueductal stenosis (24.8%) and midbrain or tectal lesions (21.2%). Visible forniceal injury (16.6%) was more common than previously reported, whereas severe bleeding (1.8%), thalamic contusion (1.8%), venous injury (1.5%), hypothalamic contusion (1.5%), and major arterial injury (0.3%) were rare. The most common postoperative complications were CSF leak (4.4%), hyponatremia (3.9%), and pseudomeningocele (3.9%). New neurological deficit occurred in 1.5% cases, with 0.5% being permanent. One hundred forty-one patients had documented failure of their ETV requiring repeat hydrocephalus surgery during follow-up, 117 of them during the first 6 months postprocedure. Kaplan-Meier rates of 30-day, 90-day, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year failure-free survival were 73.7%, 66.7%, 64.8%, 61.7%, and 57.8%, respectively. According to multivariate modeling, the preoperative ETV Success Score (ETVSS) was associated with ETV success (p < 0.001), as was the intraoperative ability to visualize a "naked" basilar artery (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS The authors' documented experience represents the most detailed account of ETV results in North America and provides the most accurate picture to date of ETV success and complications, based on contemporaneously collected prospective data. Serious complications with ETV are low. In addition to the ETVSS, visualization of a naked basilar artery is predictive of ETV success.

Is the endoscopic third ventriculostomy success score an appropriate tool to inform clinical decision-making?

INTRODUCTION

The endoscopic third ventriculostomy success score (ETVSS) is a model, which provides each patient with a prediction of the outcome of endoscopic third ventriculostomy. The objective of this study was to determine if there is clinical value to the use of the ETVSS in the decision for ETV.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data on all ETV procedures with the Republic of Ireland in children ≤16 years of age, totalling 112, from 2008 to 2014 was analysed. The percentage chance of success at six months was retrospectively calculated according to the ETVSS. A multivariable model, comprising the risk factors from the ETVSS - age, aetiology and previous shunt - was created and its performance compared to that of the ETVSS.

RESULTS

The ETVSS achieved an AUC of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.49-0.71) with a sensitivity and specificity of 50% and 76%, respectively, at its optimal cutoff. The ETVSS was not significantly well calibrated in this cohort and there was a limited net benefit on decision curve analysis in comparison with the strategy of performing ETV in all patients. The multivariable model achieved an AUC of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.56-0.78), was well calibrated and was associated with a superior net benefit over that of the ETVSS.

CONCLUSION

The ETVSS represents the future of patient risk stratification with an easy to use, individualised approach for each patient. The ETVSS has performed adequately in this study. However, through the addition of novel risk factors, the continuous updating of the model and recalibration where needed, the ETVSS can become a tool that the paediatric neurosurgeon cannot do without.

International Infant Hydrocephalus Study: initial results of a prospective, multicenter comparison of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and shunt for infant hydrocephalus

INTRODUCTION

The IIHS is an international, prospective, multicenter study to compare endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and shunt in infants (<24 months old) with symptomatic triventricular hydrocephalus from aqueductal stensosis. Recruitment started in 2004, and here, we present the first results of IIHS.

METHODS

IIHS utilized a prospective comprehensive cohort design, which contained both a randomized and a non-randomized arm. Patients received either an ETV or shunt, based on randomization or parental preference. Patients were followed prospectively for time to treatment failure, defined as the need for repeat CSF diversion procedure (shunt or ETV) or death due to hydrocephalus. Survival analysis was used to compare time to failure for ETV versus shunt. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00652470).

RESULTS

A total of 158 patients met eligibility criteria (median age at surgery 3.6 months, IQR 1.6-6.6 months) across 27 centers in 4 continents. Since only 52 patients (32.9 %) were randomized, all 158 patients were analyzed together (115 ETV, 43 shunt). Actuarial success rates for ETV vs shunt at 3, 6, and 12 months were as follows: 68 vs 95 %, 66 vs 88 %, and 66 vs 83 %. The 6-month ETV success rate of 66 % was slightly higher than would have been predicted by the ETV Success Score (57 %).The hazard ratio for time to treatment failure favored shunt over ETV (3.17, 95 % CI 1.45-6.96, p = 0.004), after adjusting for age at surgery, history of previous hemorrhage or infection, continent, and randomization status. Patients younger than 6 months of age appeared to do relatively worse with ETV than older patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The IIHS has provided the first prospective direct comparison of ETV and shunt for infant hydrocephalus. These initial results suggest that shunting has a superior success rate compared to ETV, although the success rate for both was relatively high. This patient cohort continues to be followed, and we will await the results of the important primary outcome of health status at 5 years of age.

Fever after intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in children

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper was to study the incidence and clinical significance of fever after intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in children.

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed all children subjected to an intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedure between 2004 and 2015. Body temperature 6 days postoperatively, symptoms and signs, and eventual cerebrospinal fluid analysis were evaluated. Fever was defined as temperature above 38 °C.

RESULTS

Fifty-five children (mean age 4.8 years) had 67 procedures. Forty-three children (47 procedures, 70 %) developed fever, mostly the day of surgery (n = 17; 25 %) or the next day (n = 33; 49 %). All children who were clinically ill (n = 9, including 7 with fever) suffered serious illness, as opposed to none of the children with fever without being clinically ill (n = 36). Fever was unrelated to gender, indication for, and type of procedure and did not influence ETV success rate at 3 months. Children under 1 year less frequently developed fever (p = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONS

Fever frequently develops after intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedures in children and follows a rather predictable course, peaking the day of surgery and/or the next day, and rapidly subsiding thereafter. Fever is not a cardinal symptom except when combined with other symptoms in children who are clinically ill (which most of them are not). Close observation avoiding invasive diagnostic tests may suffice for those who are not clinically ill, while extra attention should be paid to those whose temperature rises after day 2 especially when clinically ill, as they likely suffer serious illness. We recommend to closely observe children after any intraventricular neuroendoscopic procedure for at least 5 days.

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

OBJECTIVE

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a valuable option in the treatment of shunt failure, but no clinical data exist for young children. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of ETV in patients younger than 3 years of age with shunt malfunction.

METHODS

A cohort of 37 patients younger than 3 years of age with shunt malfunction underwent ETV instead of shunt revision. Patients' preoperative condition and medical history were studied to determine the impact of a number of variables on outcome. The Fisher exact test was used to assess differences among groups.

RESULTS

Median age at ETV was 21.6 months (8-36 months). Diagnosis was obstructive hydrocephalus in 24 patients and communicating hydrocephalus in 13. Median age at initial shunt placement was 3.2 months (10 days to 30 months). The etiology of shunt malfunction was obstruction (n = 27) or infection (n = 10). Overall ETV failure rate was 40.5% (15/37). Patients whose age at initial shunt placement was <6 months and/or who had a preterm birth history had higher relative rates of ETV failure. Other variables, including type of hydrocephalus, interval between initial shunt placement and ETV, history of intraventricular bleeding and/or infection, and etiology of shunt malfunction, did not significantly affect the final outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients younger than 3 years with obstructive or communicating hydrocephalus may benefit from ETV in the event of shunt malfunction and have about a 60% probability of becoming shunt free.

Stented endoscopic third ventriculostomy—indications and results

OBJECTIVE

In patients with risk of reclosure of a performed opening in the floor of the third ventricle, a stented endoscopic third ventriculostomy (sETV) was performed to maintain continuous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion in patients with occlusive hydrocephalus. A retrospective analysis of a patient series is presented.

METHODS

A cohort of nine patients (median age 12 years and 9 months; range 1 month to 25 years and 9 months) was studied retrospectively. Etiology of hydrocephalus was aqueduct stenosis due to tumorous occlusion and tumorous infiltration of the third ventricular floor in seven of nine patients. For two patients with simple aqueductal stenosis, a sETV was performed because of young age of 1 month in one and because of previous ETV failure in the other.

RESULTS

Correct placement of the implanted stent was demonstrated in all treated patients. There was no operative morbidity after the performed sETV. Resolution or improvement of symptoms was achieved in eight of nine patients (88.9%), and failure to control clinical symptoms was observed in one patient (11.1%), who needed subsequent shunt insertion. Decreased ventricular dimensions were seen after the sETV procedure. The median fronto-occipital horn ratio (FOHR) decreased from 0.46 (range 0.43-0.58) to 0.45 (range 0.37 to 0.59) after a median of 3 months and to a median of 0.40 (range 0.30 to 0.50) after 17 months. The median fronto-occipital horn width ratio FOHWR decreased from 0.31 (range 0.22 to 0.52) to 0.28 (range 0.14 to 0.52, p = 0.06) after a median of 3 months and to a median of 0.21 (range 0.09 to 0.36, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

sETV is a feasible and safe alternative procedure which when performed with an appropriate trajectory allows treatment of occlusive hydrocephalus with altered anatomy of the third ventricular floor. sETV has been demonstrated to resolve or improve clinical and radiological signs of disturbed CSF circulation.

Predicting success of endoscopic third ventriculostomy: validation of the ETV Success Score in a mixed population of adult and pediatric patients

OBJECT

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has become the first line of treatment in obstructive hydrocephalus. The Toronto group (Kulkarni et al.) developed the ETV Success Score (ETVSS) to predict the clinical response following ETV based on age, previous shunt, and cause of hydrocephalus in a pediatric population. However, the use of the ETVSS has not been validated for a population comprising adults. The objective of this study was to validate the ETVSS in a "closed-skull" population, including patients 2 years of age and older.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational study, medical charts of all consecutive cases of ETV performed in two university hospitals were reviewed. The primary outcome, the success of ETV, was defined as the absence of reoperation or death attributable to hydrocephalus at 6 months. The ETVSS was calculated for all patients. Discriminative properties along with calibration of the ETVSS were established for the study population. The secondary outcome is the reoperation-free survival.

RESULTS

This study included 168 primary ETVs. The mean age was 40 years (range 3-85 years). ETV was successful at 6 months in 126 patients (75%) compared with a mean ETVSS of 82.4%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.61, revealing insufficient discrimination from the ETVSS in this population. In contrast, calibration of the ETVSS was excellent (calibration slope = 1.01), although the expected low numbers were obtained for scores < 70. Decision curve analyses demonstrate that ETVSS is marginally beneficial in clinical decision-making, a reduction of 4 and 2 avoidable ETVs per 100 cases if the threshold used on the ETVSS is set at 70 and 60, respectively. However, the use of the ETVSS showed inferior net benefit when compared with the strategy of not recommending ETV at all as a surgical option for thresholds set at 80 and 90. In this cohort, neither age nor previous shunt were significantly associated with unsuccessful ETV. However, better outcomes were achieved in patients with aqueductal stenosis, tectal compressions, and other tumor-associated hydrocephalus than in cases secondary to myelomeningocele, infection, or hemorrhage (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The ETVSS did not show adequate discrimination but demonstrated excellent calibration in this population of patients 2 years and older. According to decision-curve analyses, the ETVSS is marginally useful in clinical scenarios in which 60% or 70% success rates are the thresholds for preferring ETV to CSF shunt. Previous history of CSF shunt and age were not associated with worse outcomes, whereas posthemorrhagic and postinfectious causes of the hydrocephalus were significantly associated with reduced success rates following ETV.