A case report of hemorrhagic presentation of diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis (DNH) associated to obstructive hydrocephalus: Medical and neurosurgical considerations.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis (DNH) is a rare disorder typically recognized at birth or during the neonatal period. DNH involves three or more organ systems, including the central nervous system (CNS). In these cases, serious complications such as hemorrhages and obstructive hydrocephalus can develop. CASE REPORT: We present a case of DNH with intracranial hypertension and CNS hemorrhagic lesions on the mesencephalic aqueduct, resulting in triventricular hydrocephalus, treated with endoscopic ventriculocisternostomy (ETV) and medical therapy. DISCUSSION: DNH is a rare condition that can involve the CNS with serious complications. From a review of the literature, we highlighted only two cases of DNH with brain involvement treated surgically. We report the successful outcome of ETV, along with surgical considerations, imaging findings, and the complete resolution of cerebral and skin lesions following medical therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Medical therapy is not standardized and must be individualized. In patients who develop severe neurological symptoms such as obstructive hydrocephalus, surgery may be considered to avoid neurological sequelae.

Prenatal dispositions and genetic analysis of monozygotic female twins with suprasellar cysts and hydrocephalus: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: We present a unique case of monozygotic female twins with virtually identical clinical and radiological presentations of supratentorial hydrocephalus and cystic formations from the suprasellar cistern. DISCUSSION: Evaluating genetic predispositions and prenatal exposures is crucial for hydrocephalus in twins. Familial cases imply a genetic contribution to the development of these anomalies, including chromosomal abnormalities and specific variants linked to arachnoid cyst formation in various syndromes. Extensive genetic analyses found no pathogenic variants in the twins. Prenatal exposure to anti-epileptic medication was known during pregnancy and may be associated with fetal abnormalities, but not central nervous system (CNS) malformations, and was therefore not considered the cause of the condition in the twins. The twins presenting simultaneously with hydrocephalus caused by suprasellar cysts (SAC) underwent a two-step surgical management: initial ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement followed by fenestration. Postoperative imaging showed cyst reduction, but a secondary VPS was necessary in both cases. CONCLUSION: Genetic analysis is less likely to identify a monogenic etiology in non-syndromic cases of SACs, which are assumed to be multifactorial. There is no established evidence linking a teratogenic effect of anti-epileptic drugs to CNS malformations. Moreover, the surgical treatment of this complex condition constitutes a point of discussion.

Acute Obstructive Hydrocephalus: An Unexpected Cause of Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: Emergency physicians are well-versed in managing cardiac arrests, including the diagnostic and therapeutic steps after return of spontaneous circulation. Neurologic emergencies are a common cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and must remain high in the differential diagnosis, as such cases often require specific interventions that may deviate from more common care pathways. Performing a noncontrast head computed tomography (NCHCT) scan after cardiac arrest has been found to change management, although the optimal timing of this imaging is unclear. CASE REPORT: This is the case of a young, pregnant woman who presented to the emergency department after cardiac arrest with return of spontaneous circulation in the prehospital setting. She was found to have acute obstructive hydrocephalus on NCHCT, which was later confirmed to be due to a previously undiagnosed colloid cyst of the third ventricle. This acute obstruction resulted in myocardial stunning and, ultimately, cardiac arrest. Although outcomes are often dismal when the cause of arrest is secondary to neurologic catastrophe, this patient survived with completely intact neurologic function. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Although acute obstructive hydrocephalus due to a colloid cyst adjacent to the third ventricle is a rare condition, it is a potentially reversible neurologic cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, positive outcomes depend on obtaining the diagnosis rapidly with neurologic imaging and advocating for neurosurgical intervention. This case supports the recommendation that emergency physicians should strongly consider post-cardiac arrest neurologic imaging when another cause is not immediately obvious.

Neuroendoscopic septostomy in unilateral and bilateral ventricular hydrocephalus.

PURPOSE: This study describes the results of septostomy (SPT) in terms of success and analysis of follow-up in a series of pediatric patients diagnosed with unilateral ventricular hydrocephalus (UHV) and biventricular hydrocephalus (BVH). METHODS: A total of 29 pediatric patients diagnosed with UVH or BVH were included in this study. In UVH, a neuroendoscopic SPT was performed (sometimes accompanied by NEFPFMO). In those diagnosed with BVH, an SPT combined with VPS was carried out. Demographic, etiological, clinical, and diagnostic variables and percentage of treatment success were collected. RESULTS: SPT was successful during follow-up when no VPS was required in UVH and only unilateral VPS was implanted in BVH. At the time of surgery, 16 patients needed a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The first SPT was successful in 22 patients, requiring a second surgery in 7 patients, from the oncology group diagnosed with BHV. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical management of UVH and BVH still has some disclosure points to be reviewed. However, SPT seems to be a secure, non-traumatic, and efficient procedure.

Symptomatic intraventricular choroid plexus cysts. Illustrative case and systematic review.

Although choroid plexus cysts are a frequent incidental neuroimaging finding, symptomatic ones are rare-a series of more than five cases are hard to find. In the absence of high-volume studies, there are no generally accepted algorithms for diagnosis and treatment for this pathology. Proposed surgical techniques include microsurgical excision or fenestration and endoscopic excision or fenestration with or without additional shunting. No definitive conclusions exist about the superiority of a certain technique. Here, we introduce an illustrative case of a patient with a symptomatic choroid plexus cyst in the trigone of the lateral ventricle and a systematic review of 65 additional published cases with the aim of identifying epidemiological features, variants of localization of the cysts, their symptoms, persistence of concomitant obstructive hydrocephalus, and treatment modalities. A PRISMA-based literature search was performed on the PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge databases. We include in the review case reports and case series of symptomatic choroid plexus cysts with full texts or valuable abstracts available online in English and published by April 2023. All abstracts of retrieved studies were assessed by two independent researchers to avoid bias. Only descriptive statistics were used for the presentation of the results. A total of 48 studies (39 case reports and 9 case series) with 65 depicted cases met the eligibility criteria. The review showed a slight predominance of choroid plexus cysts in men. The most common localizations of cysts were the trigone and the body of the lateral ventricle. Obstructive hydrocephalus is often present in patients with choroid plexus cysts. The most common symptoms of cysts were signs of increased ICP: headaches and vomiting. The main treatment approaches for symptomatic choroid plexus cysts were microsurgical excision, microsurgical fenestration, endoscopic fenestration, and total endoscopic excision. The tendency has been noted to shift from microsurgical to endoscopic procedures over the past two decades. Some data on the classification of cysts of the central nervous system and the underlying mechanisms of the pathogenesis of choroid plexus cysts are also presented.Although symptomatic cases of choroid plexus cysts are rare, by summarizing currently available data, one could clarify their common features and identify a preferable treatment modality.

CSF dynamics in long-standing overt ventriculomegaly in adults.

OBJECTIVE: Long-standing overt ventriculomegaly in adults (LOVA) is a form of chronic hydrocephalus and its pathophysiology and treatment remain debated. An analysis of CSF dynamics in this condition has rarely been reported. The aim of this study was to analyze hydrodynamic characteristics of patients with suspected LOVA to discuss its pathophysiological mechanisms and the importance of CSF dynamics analysis for diagnosis and treatment of these patients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study, conducted between May 2018 and October 2022, included adult patients aged > 18 years investigated in a department of neurosurgery through a lumbar infusion study for suspicion of LOVA (n = 23). These patients were then compared with a control cohort explored for suspicion of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH; n = 30). Clinical symptoms, radiological findings, and hydrodynamic parameters were analyzed. The authors specifically compared two hydrodynamic parameters: resistance to CSF outflow, or Rout, which relies on CSF resorption, and pressure-volume index (PVI), which reflect overall craniospinal compliance. The lumbar infusion study was considered pathological (confirming the diagnosis of chronic hydrocephalus) when at least one of these two parameters was altered. RESULTS: Rout was significantly less frequently increased (cutoff ≥ 12 mm Hg/ml/min) in patients with LOVA (52%) than in those with iNPH (97%; p < 0.001). In contrast, PVI was impaired (cutoff ≤ 25 ml) in both cohorts, i.e., in 61% of patients with LOVA and in 83% of patients with iNPH. Overall, the rate of pathological lumbar infusion study in LOVA (87%) was not statistically different than in iNPH (100%). However, PVI was the only impaired parameter most frequently found in those with LOVA (35%) compared with those with iNPH (3%; p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that there is a differential CSF dynamics pattern when comparing patients with LOVA versus those with iNPH. A higher proportion of patients with LOVA showed isolated compliance impairment. These findings highlight the utility of CSF dynamics analysis for the evaluation of patients with suspected chronic obstructive hydrocephalus such as LOVA. Future research with larger case series may help define diagnosis and treatment algorithms of chronic obstructive hydrocephalus based on CSF dynamics analysis, in addition to clinical and radiological criteria.

Minimally invasive third ventriculostomy with stereotactic internal shunt placement for the treatment of tumor-associated noncommunicating hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial tumors can cause obstructive hydrocephalus (OH). Most often, symptomatic treatment is pursued through ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VS) or endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). In this study, we propose stereotactic third ventriculostomy with internal shunt placement (sTVIP) as an alternative treatment option and assess its safety and efficacy. METHODS: In this single-center, retrospective analysis, clinical symptoms, procedure-related complications, and revision-free survival of all patients with OH due to tumor formations treated by sTVIP between January 2010 and December 2021 were evaluated. RESULTS: Clinical records of thirty-eight patients (11 female, 27 male) with a mean age of 40 years (range 5-88) were analyzed. OH was predominantly (in 92% of patients) caused by primary brain tumors (with exception of 3 cases with metastases). Following sTVIP, 74.2% of patients experienced symptomatic improvement. Preoperative headache was a significant predictor of postoperative symptomatic improvement (OR 26.25; 95% CI 4.1-521.1; p = 0.0036). Asymptomatic hemorrhage was detected along the stereotactic trajectory in 2 cases (5.3%). One patient required local revision due to CSF fistula (2.6%); another patient had to undergo secondary surgery to connect the catheter to a valve/abdominal catheter due to CSF malabsorption. However, in the remaining 37 patients, shunt independence was maintained during a median follow-up period of 12 months (IQR 3-32 months). No surgery-related mortality was observed. CONCLUSIONS: sTVIP led to a significant symptom control and was associated with low operative morbidity, along with a high rate of ventriculoperitoneal shunt independency during the follow-up period. Therefore, sTVIP constitutes a highly effective and minimally invasive treatment option for tumor-associated obstructive hydrocephalus, even in cases with a narrow prepontine interval.

Ventricular CSF proteomic profiles and predictors of surgical treatment outcome in chronic hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: By applying an unbiased proteomic approach, we aimed to search for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein biomarkers distinguishing between obstructive and communicating hydrocephalus in order to improve appropriate surgical selection for endoscopic third ventriculostomy vs. shunt implants. Our second study purpose was to look for potential CSF biomarkers distinguishing between patients with adult chronic hydrocephalus benefitting from surgery (responders) vs. those who did not (non-responders). METHODS: Ventricular CSF samples were collected from 62 patients with communicating hydrocephalus and 28 patients with obstructive hydrocephalus. CSF was collected in relation to the patients' surgical treatment. As a control group, CSF was collected from ten patients with unruptured aneurysm undergoing preventive surgery (vascular clipping). RESULTS: Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of the samples identified 1251 unique proteins. No proteins differed significantly between the communicating hydrocephalus group and the obstructive hydrocephalus group. Four proteins were found to be significantly less abundant in CSF from communicating hydrocephalus patients compared to control subjects. A PCA plot revealed similar proteomic CSF profiles of obstructive and communicating hydrocephalus and control samples. For obstructive hydrocephalus, ten proteins were found to predict responders from non-responders. CONCLUSION: Here, we show that the proteomic profile of ventricular CSF from patients with hydrocephalus differs slightly from control subjects. Furthermore, we find ten predictors of response to surgical outcome (endoscopic third ventriculostomy or ventriculo-peritoneal shunt) in patients with obstructive hydrocephalus.

A rare case of intralesional haemorrhage of a benign aqueductal cyst after CSF diversion treatment. A case report and review of literature.

Benign cysts within the pure aqueductal region are a rare entity. Their critical location within the ventricular system presents a risk of potentially catastrophic outcomes. We present a case of a 68-year-old female who was transferred to our unit with an acute obstructive triventricular hydrocephalus caused by a benign cyst within the cerebral aqueduct. She became unconscious and had an urgent endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). Post-operatively, the patient was recovering well but then developed a sudden onset severe headache accompanied by vomiting. Imaging revealed intracystic haemorrhage with expansion of lesion but there was no obstructive hydrocephalus due to CSF diversion performed 9 d prior. She was treated conservatively and continued to improve.

Endoscopic versus open microsurgery for colloid cysts of the third ventricle.

PURPOSE: The surgical approach for colloid cysts of the third ventricle mainly consists of endoscopic or microscopic approach but few studies compare the neurologic outcomes and complications related to the different approaches. We retrospectively reviewed our results after resection of colloid cysts of the third ventricle using endoscopic surgery (ES) compared to open microsurgery (OS). METHODS: Fifty-one patients were included in the study of which 17 patients underwent ES. Colloid cyst size and Evans' index were evaluated on CT or MRI scans. Presenting symptoms, neurologic outcomes and complications were compared between the two groups and analysed using Fisher's exact test. Operative time and days of hospital stay were compared between the two groups, using independent sample t-test. The median follow-up time was 96 days and did not differ significantly between the groups. RESULTS: Shorter mean operative time (p = 0.04) and fewer days of hospital stay (p < 0.01) were found in the endoscopic group compared to the open microsurgical group. Presenting symptoms, neurological outcomes and postoperative complications were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: ES showed similar neurologic outcomes and complications compared to OS for colloid cysts of the third ventricle. ES showed significantly shorter operative times and hospital stays compared to OS.

Acute hydrocephalus caused by a gelatin-sponge material: a case report.

Third ventricle lesions, especially those located proximally to the foramen of Monro, generally present with obstructive hydrocephalus symptoms. In this report, we present a case with acute obstructive hydrocephalus secondary to a gel-foam material. The patient has previously underwent an endoscopic cystectomy. At postoperative third month, she admitted to our hospital with the complain of headache. Neuroradiological imaging revealed triventricular hydrocephalus. A second endoscopic operation was performed, and a piece of gelatin-sponge material was detected at the level of cerebral aqueduct, which obstructed the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The CSF flow was immediately restored after removing this material, and an additional third ventriculostomy was performed.

Endoscopic excision of an aqueduct of Sylvius cavernoma causing obstructive hydrocephalus: technical note.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Acquired lesions within the aqueduct of Sylvius are rare and their surgical management is challenging. Open transcranial approaches require dissection and manipulation of surrounding eloquent structures. Use of an endoscope can avoid potential morbidity from traversing and handling eloquent structures during open approaches whilst providing better visualisation of an intraventricular lesion. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 62-year-old female presented with insidious onset short-term memory loss, unsteady gait, urinary incontinence and left-sided dysaesthesia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed hydrocephalus from an obstructive haemorrhagic lesion consistent with a cavernoma at the central midbrain within the aqueduct of Sylvius. An endoscopic approach was selected to provide optimal visualisation of the lesion. As only a single instrument could be accommodated, rotational movements were employed to tease out the lesion. Gross total resection was achieved. Her symptoms improved immediately postoperatively and she made a complete recovery by 2 months. Post-operative MRI showed resolution of hydrocephalus and no evidence of residual/recurrence of the lesion. Unfortunately, she developed hydrocephalus 3 months post-op and required placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic resection is safe and feasible for selected periaqueductal lesions as it provides direct access while minimising disruption of the surrounding anatomical structures. The limitation of only having a single instrument can be overcome by employing rotational movements.

Resolution of Papilledema Following Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt or Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy for Obstructive Hydrocephalus: A Pilot Study.

Background and Objectives: Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt (VPS) and Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) are both gold standard procedures to reduce intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, which often results in papilledema. This comparative study was carried out at the Department of Neurosurgery of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital to compare the efficacy of VPS and ETV in the resolution of papilledema in 18 patients with obstructive hydrocephalus. Materials and Methods: The success of CSF diversion was evaluated by a decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and modified Frisen grading of papilledema at the same time. The statistical analyses were carried out by using paired sample t test and the Spearman's correlation coefficient test. The level of significance (p value) was set at <0.05. Results: After 7 days, both VPS and ETV were able to reduce RNFL thickness of both eyes with a p value = 0.016 (right eye) and 0.003 (left eye) in group A (VPS) and with a p value <0.001 (both eyes) in group B (ETV). Change of Frisen grading after CSF diversion was not satisfying for both the procedures with p value > 0.05. Further, the inter-group comparison between VPS and ETV showed no difference in decreasing RNFL thickness and modified Frisen grading (p value = 0.56). Conclusion: VPS and ETV procedures both appear very efficient in treating obstructive hydrocephalus, which in turn reduces papilledema in these patients. This paper is preliminary and requires further work.

Frequency of success and complications of primary endoscopic third ventriculostomy in infants with obstructive hydrocephalous.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the success rate and complications of primary endoscopic third ventri-culostomy (ETV) in infants with obstructive hydrocephalous. METHODS: This case series was conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery, Medical and Teaching Institute, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar from July 2016 to June 2018. All consecutive patients with age less than one year who underwent ETV for primary obstructive hydrocephalous, of both gender, were included in the study. The patients were followed up to six months after surgery. The data was entered in a specially designed Performa. Patients' data was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: We had total 21 patients with age less than one year during the study period. Male patients were 11 (52.4%). Success rate of ETV at six months of follow up was 12 (57.1%). Post-op complications observed were in 9.52% (2/21) cases. One patient had cerebrospinal fluid CSF) leak and the other had significant bleed. CONCLUSION: ETV is successful in 57.1% of infants with obstructive type of hydrocephalous. The post op complications in case of ETV are lower than Ventriculo-peritoneal shunts. Therefore, ETV can be offered to infants having obstructive hydrocephalous.

A case of an atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor with distinctive histology in the pineal region in an adult patient.

A 31-year-old man suffered from headaches and presented at a hospital after the symptom worsened. Obstructive hydrocephalus and a pineal tumor were identified, and he was transferred to our hospital for further investigation and treatment. Cranial computed tomography revealed a hypodense mass lesion on the right of the pineal region, and calcifications and enlargement of the lateral and third cerebral ventricles were also evident. Blood tests were negative for all tumor markers. Laparoscopic biopsy and third-ventricle fenestration were performed that day as an emergency surgery to treat the obstructive hydrocephalus. Postoperative cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed a solid tumor that was hypointense on T1-weighted imaging, hyperintense on T2-weighted imaging, and heterogeneously enhanced by Gd. Subsequently, the tumor increased in size, and craniotomy and tumorectomy were performed. Histologically, the tumor proliferated as round or short spindle-shaped cells in a myxoid matrix, forming arrays that surrounded the blood vessels. As a few cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm were also present and immunostaining for INI-1 was negative, the patient was diagnosed with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT). AT/RT of the pineal region in adults is rare, and herein, we report the morphological characteristics of this case and reviewed the relevant literature.

Pre-operative headaches and obstructive hydrocephalus predict an extended length of stay following suboccipital decompression for pediatric Chiari I malformation.

PURPOSE: For young children and adolescents with Chiari malformation type I (CM-I), the determinants of extended length of hospital stay (LOS) after neurosurgical suboccipital decompression are obscure. Here, we investigate the impact of patient- and hospital-level risk factors on extended LOS following surgical decompression for CM-I in young children to adolescents. METHODS: The Kids' Inpatient Database year 2012 was queried. Pediatric CM-I patients (6-18 years) undergoing surgical decompression were identified. Weighted patient demographics, comorbidities, complications, LOS, disposition, and total cost were recorded. A multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratio for risk-adjusted LOS. The primary outcome was the degree patient comorbidities or post-operative complications correlated with extended LOS. RESULTS: A total of 1592 pediatric CM-I patients were identified for which 328 (20.6%) patients had extended LOS (normal LOS, 1264; extended LOS, 328). Age, gender, race, median household income quartile, and healthcare coverage distributions were similar between the two cohorts. Patients with extended LOS had significantly greater admission comorbidities including headache symptoms, nausea and vomiting, obstructive hydrocephalus, lack of coordination, deficiency anemias, and fluid and electrolyte disorders. On multivariate logistic regression, several risk factors were associated with extended LOS, including headache symptoms, obstructive hydrocephalus, and fluid and electrolyte disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our study using the Kids' Inpatient Database demonstrates that presenting symptoms and signs, including headaches and obstructive hydrocephalus, respectively, are significantly associated with extended LOS following decompression for pediatric CM-I.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy and cerebrospinal fluid shunting for pure communicating hydrocephalus in children.

PURPOSE: Recent reports regarding endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) for pediatric hydrocephalus revealed that ETV could avoid cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting in certain types of hydrocephalus. However, the effectiveness of ETV for "pure" communicating hydrocephalus that has no obstruction through CSF pathway is still unknown. In this study, we report clinical outcome of ETV and CSF shunting for communicating hydrocephalus and discuss the efficacy of ETV for pure communicating hydrocephalus. METHODS: Children less than 15 years old who underwent ETV or CSF shunting for communicating hydrocephalus were retrospectively reviewed. The absence of obstruction through CSF circulation was confirmed by CT cisternography or cine-contrast image in MRI. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (45 CSF shunting and 18 ETV) were included. The mean follow-up period was 6.1 years. The success rate was 60% in CSF shunting and 67% in ETV at the last visit (p = 0.867). Normal development was observed in 24 patients (53%) in CSF shunting and 12 patients (67%) in ETV (p = 0.334). There was a significant difference in the mean time to failure (CSF shunting: 51.1 months, ETV 3.6 months, p = 0.004). The factor that affected success rate in ETV was the age at surgery (success 21.6 months, failure 4.4 months, p = 0.024) and ETV success score (success 66.7, failure 50.0, p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Clinical outcomes of ETV were not inferior to those of CSF shunting in patients with communicating hydrocephalus. Further studies is required to elucidate to establish the consensus of ETV as a treatment option for communicating hydrocephalus.

Operative Procedure in a Suprasellar Paediatric Lesion of the Optic Chiasm with Hydrocephalus Caused by a Papillary Glioneuronal Tumour.

INTRODUCTION: Paediatric tumours in the sellar and parasellar regions present clinical and surgical challenges due to anatomical position and behaviour. We illustrate a rare case which caused obstructive hydrocephalus. CASE PRESENTATION: The study included a 14-year-old girl with a glioneuronal tumour (40 mm) originating from the optic chiasm, obliterating the aqueduct, with consequent triventricular hydrocephalus. The patient underwent extended endoscopic endonasal surgery and repair of the skull-base deficiency using a multi-layer technique with fascia lata. The 12-month follow-up showed no complications or recurrences, with recovery in visual acuity. CONCLUSION: The immediate placement of external ventricular drainage, in combination with an extended trans-sphenoidal approach, is a safe and feasible option to treat suprasellar paediatric lesions with hydrocephalus.

ETV in infancy and childhood below 2 years of age for treatment of hydrocephalus.

PURPOSE: Age and etiology play a crucial role in success of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) as a treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus. Outcome is worse in infants, and controversies still exist whether ETV is superior to shunt placement. We retrospectively analyzed 70 patients below 2 years from 4 different centers treated with ETV and assessed success. METHODS: Children < 2 years who received an ETV within 1994-2018 were included. Patients were classified according to age and etiology; < 3, 4-12, and 13-24 months, etiologically; aqueductal stenosis, post-hemorrhagic-hydrocephalus (PHH), tumor-related, fourth ventricle outflow obstruction, with Chiari-type II and following CSF infection. We investigated statistically the predictors for ETV success through computing Kaplan-Meier estimates using patient's follow-up time and time to ETV failure. RESULTS: We collected 70 patients. ETV success rate was 41.4%. The highest rate was in tumor-related hydrocephalus and fourth ventricle outlet obstruction (62.5%, 60%) and the lowest rate was in Chiari-type II and following infection (16.7%, 0%). The below 3 months age group showed relatively lower success rate (33.3%) in comparison to older groups which showed similar results (46.4%, 46.6%). Statistically, a previous VP shunt was a predictor for failure (p value < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Factors suggesting a high possibility of failure were age < 3 months and etiology such as Chiari-type II or following infection. Altered CSF dynamics in patients with PHH and under-developed arachnoid villi may play a role in ETV failure. We do not recommend ETV as first line in children < 3 months of age or in case of Chiari II or following infection.

LARGE ANEURYSM OF BASILAR ARTERY TIP MIMICKING MIDBRAIN TUMOR AND CAUSING UNILATERAL OBSTRUCTIVE HYDROCEPHALUS: A CASE REPORT AND TECHNICAL NOTE.

Cerebral ventricular system is a sporadic location of intracranial aneurysms including those of basilar artery tip. Treatment of such aneurysms remains challenging regardless of endovascular or microsurgical techniques applied. Basilar tip aneurysm presenting as third ventricular mass is rarely associated with obstructive hydrocephalus, mimicking midbrain expansive process and urging precise diagnostics and prompt treatment. Hence, the management of such patients may be delicate, having an uncertain outcome. We report on a case of a patient with unilateral hydrocephalus caused by large basilar tip aneurysm mimicking a midbrain tumor. We also discuss different operative strategies influencing the outcome, including our own endovascular treatment technical modification. A 62-year-old female patient presented with slightly decreased cognition, minor gait disturbances and urinary incontinence. Computed brain tomography revealed a third ventricle mass with unilateral ventricular dilatation, indicating hypertensive obstructive hydrocephalus. Magnetic resonance and digital subtraction angiography identified the third ventricular mass as a large saccular basilar tip aneurysm. The patient was selected for endovascular treatment followed by cerebrospinal fluid derivation. After aneurysm endovascular occlusion and temporary external ventricular drainage, the symptoms diminished and ventricular dilatation decreased. On post-procedure day 10, the hydrocephalus was relieved and external drainage removed. The patient recovered fully and was discharged without neurological deficit. In conclusion, large basilar tip aneurysms associated with obstructive hydrocephalus are rare and best treated by a combination of endovascular obliteration and cerebrospinal fluid ventricular diversion. The possibility of such an aneurysm should always be considered on the differential diagnosis of cerebral ventricular growths.