"The Predictive role of Early Postoperative MRI after Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy".

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a treatment option for obstructive hydrocephalus; reported success rates vary. We investigated immediate postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the role of imaging parameters associated with outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed patients undergoing initial ETV between 2005 -2019. Patients with pre- and postoperative MRI with follow-up >one year were included. The following were noted: changes in subarachnoid CSF, third ventricle diameter (TV), bowing of the TV floor, and postoperative flow void. Kaplan-Meier survival methods were used to assess ETV success, Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models were fitted to assess factors contributing to ETV success. RESULTS: Fifty-eight subjects were included. Nineteen (32.8%) experienced failure within one year, individually, no single imaging parameter predicted success. However, all cases with failure had no identifiable flow void. Any postoperative radiological change was not consistently associated with decreased odds of failure. Obstructive hydrocephalus treated with ETV demonstrated significantly better ETV success than patients treated for non-obstructive hydrocephalus Inter-observer reliability was moderate for two of the radiological variables and substantial for one of the radiological variables. CONCLUSIONS: Individually none of the qualitative radiologic parameters measured in our study predicted ETV success. Absence of a flow void predicted ETV failure, but additional studies are needed to determine its true negative predictive value. Inability to clarify which specific parameter predicts success, reflects the limited role of immediate postoperative imaging in influencing clinical management.

Intrareservoir Administration of Alteplase to Treat a Distal Ventriculoatrial Shunt Obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Ventriculoatrial shunts can be afflicted with distal malfunctions due to thrombus formation at the distal tip. Distal tip thrombus formation may occur more commonly in oncologic patients who are predisposed to hypercoagulability. CASE DESCRIPTION: A patient who had a ventriculoatrial shunt placed for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis presented with headaches and confusion and was found to have a partial distal shunt obstruction. Intrareservoir administration of alteplase resulted in resolution of her symptoms. Nuclear medicine shunt patency test demonstrated restoration of distal flow. CONCLUSIONS: Intrareservoir administration of alteplase can be a useful nonoperative treatment strategy for ventriculoatrial shunt malfunction. This strategy may be particularly useful in cases with higher perioperative risk, such as patients with advanced metastatic cancer.