Distal shunt placement in pediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery: an international survey of practice.

OBJECTIVE: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery is a common treatment for hydrocephalus in children and adults, making it one of the most common procedures in neurosurgery. Children being treated with a VPS often require several revisions during their lifetime with a lifetime revision rate of up to 80%. Several different techniques exist for inserting the distal catheter, while mini-laparotomy, trocar, or laparoscopy is traditionally used. As opposed to adults, only few studies exist, comparing the outcome of the different distal catheter placement techniques in children. This international survey aims to investigate the current daily practice concerning distal shunt placement techniques in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online questionnaire investigating the different techniques used to place the distal catheter in pediatric VPS surgery was distributed internationally. All results were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics. RESULTS: A total of 139 responses were obtained. Mini-laparotomy was reported to be the most frequently used technique (n = 104, 74.8%) for distal shunt placement in children, while laparoscopic or trocar-assisted placements were only used by 3.6% (n = 5) and 21.6% (n = 30) of all respondents, respectively. Over half (n = 75, 54.0%) of all respondents do not believe that laparoscopic placement improves the outcome. CONCLUSION: This international survey shows that mini-laparotomy is the most frequently used technique for distal VPS placement in children all over the world. Further randomized trials are needed to elucidate this matter.

Open versus laparoscopic ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery is the traditional method for treating hydrocephalus, remaining one of the most regularly used procedures in pediatric neurosurgery. The reported revision rate of VPS can reach up to 80% and significantly reduces the quality of life in the affected children and has a high socioeconomic burden. Traditionally, distal VPS placement has been achieved open via a small laparotomy. However, in adults several studies have shown a lower rate of distal dysfunction using laparoscopic insertion. As the data in children are scarce, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare open and laparoscopic VPS placement in children regarding complications. METHODS: PubMed and Embase databases were searched using a systematic search strategy to identify studies comparing open and laparoscopic VPS placement up to July 2022. Two independent researchers assessed the studies for inclusion and quality. Primary outcome measure was distal revision rate. A fixed effects model was used if low heterogeneity (I2 < 50%) was present, otherwise a random effects model was applied. RESULTS: Out of 115 screened studies we included 8 studies in our qualitative assessment and three of them in our quantitative meta-analysis. All studies were retrospective cohort studies with 590 analyzed children, of which 231 children (39.2%) received laparoscopic, and 359 children (60.8%) open shunt placement. Similar distal revision rates were observed between the laparoscopic and open group (3.75% vs. 4.3%, RR 1.16, [ 95% CI 0.48 to 2.79], I2 = 50%, z = 0.32, p = 0.74). There was no significant difference in postoperative infection rate between the two groups (laparoscopic 5.6% vs. open 7.5%, RR 0.99, (95% CI [0.53 to 1.85]), I2=0%, z = -0.03, p= 0.97). The meta-analysis showed a significantly shorter surgery time in the laparoscopic group (49.22 (±21.46) vs. 64.13 (±8.99) minutes, SMD-3.6, [95% CI -6.9 to -0.28], I2=99%m z= -2.12, p= 0.03) compared to open distal VPS placement. CONCLUSION: Few studies are available comparing open and laparoscopic shunt placement in children. Our meta-analysis showed no difference in distal revision rate between laparoscopic and open shunt insertion; however, laparoscopic placement was associated with a significantly shorter surgery time. Further prospective trials are needed to assess possible superiority of one of the techniques.

A Rare Case of Shunt Malfunction Due to the Needle Guard Coming Off During Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Surgery.

We report a rare case of shunt valve failure due to obstruction during ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt surgery for hydrocephalus after subarachnoid hemorrhage due to aneurysm rupture. The hydrocephalus shunt surgery was started normally, and there was no bending or twisting of the valve, nor blood contamination. However, after irrigation of the shunt valve, the shunt valve obstructed and malfunctioned before catheter connection and insertion into the subcutaneous space. Shunt valves are rarely damaged during surgery. In this case, the cause of the malfunction could not be identified during surgery, and it was necessary to use a shunt valve made by another company for patient safety. The surgery was completed without incident, but the cause of the obstruction, which was discovered after surgery, was that the needle guard inside the valve had come off from the bottom. The CODMAN CERTAS Plus Programmable Valve (CCPPV) in particular has excellent functionality, but the regular type needle guard is attached to the bottom of the valve pump. Therefore, it cannot withstand the handling during surgery that other valves tolerate. In the future, improvements in medical equipment and more careful operation of shunt valves by surgeons are required for risk management during surgery.

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension with Disproportionately Enlarged Subarachnoid Space Hydrocephalus on Imaging.

The pathophysiology of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) differs in terms of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure and imaging-related characteristics. A 51-year-old man presented with optic nerve papillary edema, visual disturbance, bilateral abducens nerve palsy, and a wide-based gait. Imaging showed characteristic findings of IIH and disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus (DESH) - characteristic of iNPH. A CSF examination revealed marked CSF hypertension. IIH with iNPH-like imaging features (DESH) was diagnosed, and ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery was performed. Postoperatively, the visual acuity and visual field improved. This report also describes the distinct and overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms of IIH and iNPH.

Thyroid Hormones and Health-Related Quality of Life in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Patients before and after the Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Surgery: A Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3), and to correlate the hormone levels among iNPH patients with their self-reported quality of life before and three months after the surgery. METHODS: Twenty-five patients (52% women), mean age 63.5 (SD 9.5) years, were operated on by inserting a VP shunt. Patients with FT3 level ≤3.34 pmol/L were diagnosed as having low T3 syndrome. RESULTS: The changes in thyroid hormones resulted in a U-shaped curve throughout the follow-up period. The significant changes occurred the next day after the surgery, including a decrease in TSH, FT3, and an increase in FT4. Additionally, the decrease occurred in mean FT3 for six patients with preoperative low T3 syndrome. Three months after the surgery, thyroid hormones were restored to their baseline and/or normal values. All six patients with preoperative low T3 syndrome had significant improvement in all SF-36 subscales (except for the role emotional and physical). Patients with preoperative normal high FT3 and low FT4 had increased FT3/FT4 ratio which was associated with deterioration in all SF-36 subscales 3 months after the surgery. CONCLUSION: Routine assessment of the FT3/FT4 ratio might be a simple and effective tool for the risk stratification of iNPH patients before VP shunt surgery.

Armored Brain Associated with Secondary Craniostenosis Development at 7-year following Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Surgery during Infancy: Extremely Unusual Association and Review.

Calcification is uncommon in chronic subdural hematoma and popularly known as calcified chronic subdural hematoma (CSSDH), and about hundred cases are reported in the form of isolated cases report. The calcified inner membrane of chronic subdural hematoma gets adherent to underlying cerebral cortex preventing re-expansion of the brain and producing mass effect. Calcification can develop in chronic subdural hematoma of traumatic origin or postmeningitic effusion or extremely rarely after shunt surgery. CCSDH is also known as armored brain or Matrioska head and those related to cerebrospinal fluid diversion ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt surgery, constitute one of the rare complications of shunt, and development is attributed to overdrainage of shunt. Authors report a unique case with bilateral calcified chronic subdural hematoma in an 8-year-old boy, who had VP shunt surgery for obstructive hydrocephalus at the age of 1 year of life, presented with feature of nonlocalized raised intracranial pressure; a diagnosis of suspected VP shunt malfunction was also considered; however, cranial computed tomography scan on current admission revealed the presence of bilateral calcified chronic subdural hematoma with secondary craniostenosis and managed successfully with burr-hole craniostomy and drainage of CCSDH. In a detailed PubMed and Medline search, authors could not get any publication regarding CSSDH associated with secondary craniostenosis developing following VP shunt surgery in infancy. The current case represents the first case in the Western literature developing secondary craniostenosis-associated CCSDH following shunt surgery in infancy, requiring surgical management. The clinical features, neuroimaging, and management of such rare case along with pertinent literature are reviewed briefly.

Patients with a Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Shunt Have Fewer Complications than Do Patients with Other Shunts.

BACKGROUND: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is a well-established therapy for hydrocephalus. However, complications are frequent. The incidence of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) increases with the aging of the population. We evaluated the functional status of patients and the classification of complications associated with VP shunt procedures in our center. METHODS: We recorded all VP shunt procedures in our prospective patient registry from January 2013 to December 2015. Functional outcome (Karnofsky Performance Status [KPS] and modified Rankin Scale) and complications were compiled from patient records. Any deviation from the normal postoperative course within 3 months after surgery was considered a complication. Complications were classified with the therapy-oriented Clavien-Dindo grading system. We evaluated potential risk factors with a logistic regression model. RESULTS: From 285 procedures in the reporting period, 90 were excluded, resulting in 195 patients. Among those patients, 174 (90%) were shunt implantations and 21 (11%) were shunt revisions. Forty-four shunts (23%) were implanted for NPH. Median KPS improved over the first year after surgery. Although some type of complication was observed in 114 patients (58%), 60 of those complications (31%) did not require surgical treatment (Clavien-Dindo grade <3). In 50 patients (26%), the complication concerned the shunt itself. A high KPS at admission and NPH as underlying indication significantly reduced the odds ratio for a complication. CONCLUSIONS: Although shunt surgery has a high general rate of complications, this rate is significantly lower for patients with NPH. The decision for shunting in patients with NPH should consider the low complication rate specific for the group of patients with NPH.