The role of lumboperitoneal shunts in managing chronic hydrocephalus with slit ventricles

Shunt freedom in slit ventricle syndrome: using paradoxical ventriculomegaly following lumbar shunting to our advantage. Illustrative cases

BACKGROUND

The authors present two cases of paradoxical ventriculomegaly after lumboperitoneal (LP) shunting in patients with slit ventricle syndrome (SVS).

OBSERVATIONS

After placement of an LP shunt, both patients rapidly developed radiographic and clinically symptomatic ventricular enlargement. The then generous ventricular corridors allowed both patients to be treated by endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) with concurrent removal of their LP shunt. The patients then underwent staged increases in their shunt resistance to the maximum setting and remain asymptomatic.

LESSONS

The authors suggest that this paradoxical ventriculomegaly may have resulted from a pressure gradient between the shunt systems in the intra- and extraventricular spaces due to a noncommunicating etiology of their hydrocephalus. ETV may successfully exploit this newfound obstructive hydrocephalus and provide resolution of the radiographic and clinical hydrocephalus through allowing for improved communication between the cranial and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid spaces in SVS.

Shunting outcomes in communicating hydrocephalus: protocol for a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) remains the most widely used methods to treat communicating hydrocephalus. More recently, lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) has been suggested as a reasonable option in some studies. However, there is lack of high-quality studies comparing these two techniques in order to certain the benefits and harms to use one of these two methods. The purpose of the current study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of the LPS versus the VPS in patients with communicating hydrocephalus.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

All eligible patients aged 18-90 years with communicating hydrocephalus will be recruited and then randomly allocated into LPS or VPS group in a ratio of 1:1. All patients will be analysed before shunt insertion, at the time of discharge, 1 month, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months postoperatively. The primary outcome measure is the rate of shunt failure at a 2-year follow-up term. The secondary outcomes include Keifer's Hydrocephalus Scale, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended, Evans index, safety endpoints and cost-effectiveness of hospital stay.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study will be performed in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki (2002) of the World Medical Association. The study was approved by Institutional Review Board of West China Hospital. All patients will be fully informed the potential benefits, potential risks and responsibilities, those who will sign the informed consents once they are included. Preliminary and final results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international congresses.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2100043839.

Comparison of ventriculoperitoneal shunt to lumboperitoneal shunt in the treatment of idiopathic: A monocentric, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) and lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) remain the mainstay of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH). There are no randomized controlled trials completed to compare the efficacy of these 2 shunt techniques.

METHODS/DESIGN

We will conduct a monocentric, assessor-blinded, and randomized controlled trial titled "Comparison of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt to Lumboperitoneal Shunt for the treatment of Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: Phase I (COVLINPH-1)" trial and recruit patients at West China Hospital of Sichuan University since June 2021. And this trial is expected to end in December 2030. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned into LPS group and VPS group at ratio of 1:1 followed by evaluation before surgery, 1 month, 12 months, and 5 years after surgery. The primary outcome is the rate of shunt failure within 5 years. The secondary outcomes include modified Rankin Scale (mRS), INPH grading scale (INPHGS), mini-mental state examination (MMSE), and Evans index. We will calculate the rate of favorable outcome, which is defined as shunt success and an improvement of more than 1 point in the mRS at evaluation point. We will also analyze the complications throughout the study within 5 years after shunt insertion.

DISCUSSION

The results of this trial will provide state-of-the-art evidence on the treatment option for patients with INPH, and will also generate the discussion regarding this subject.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2000031555; Pre-results.

Comparison of ventriculoperitoneal shunt to lumboperitoneal shunt in the treatment of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus: A prospective, monocentric, non-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery remains the most widely accepted and used option method to treat post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) worldwide while lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) serves as an effectively alternative treatment. However, the outcomes of VPS and LPS in the treatment of PHH have not been compared in a prospective trial.

METHODS AND DESIGN

In this monocentric, assessor-blinded, non-randomized controlled trial, 75 eligible patients with PHH for each group will be recruited to compare the outcomes of VPS cohort with that of LPS cohort. Each participant is evaluated before surgery, at the time of discharge, 3, and 6 months after surgery by experienced and practiced assessors. The primary outcome is the rate of shunt failure 6 months after shunt surgery. The secondary measure of efficacy is National Institute of Health stroke scale, together along with Glasgow coma scale, modified Rankin Scale, and Evans index at the evaluation point. A favorable outcome is defined as shunt success with an improvement of more than 1 point in the National Institute of Health stroke scale. Complication events occurring within 6 months after surgery are investigated. A serious adverse events throughout the study are recorded regarding the safety of shunts.

DISCUSSION

The results of this trial will provide evidence for the treatment options for patients with PHH.

Shunt Failure-The First 30 Days

BACKGROUND

Incontrovertible predictors of shunt malfunction remain elusive.

OBJECTIVE

To determine predictors of shunt failure within 30 d of index surgery.

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study from January 2010 through November 2016. Using a ventricular shunt surgery research database, clinical and procedural variables were procured. An "index surgery" was defined as implantation of a new shunt or revision or augmentation of an existing shunt system. The primary outcome was shunt failure of any kind within the first 30 days of index surgery. Bivariate models were created, followed by a final multivariable logistic regression model using a backward-forward selection procedure.

RESULTS

Our dataset contained 655 unique patients with a total of 1206 operations. The median age for the cohort at the time of first shunt surgery was 4.6 yr (range, 0-28; first and third quartile, .37 and 11.8, respectively). The 30-day failure rates were 12.4% when analyzing the first-index operation only (81/655), and 15.7% when analyzing all-index operations (189/1206). Small or slit ventricles at the time of index surgery and prior ventricular shunt operations were found to be significant covariates in both the "first-index" (P < .01 and P = .05, respectively) and "all-index" (P = .02 and P < .01, respectively) multivariable models. Intraventricular hemorrhage at the time of index surgery was an additional predictor in the all-index model (P = .01).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that only 3 variables are predictive of 30-day shunt failure when following established variable selection procedures, 2 of which are potentially under direct control of the surgeon.