The durability of endoscopic third ventriculostomy and ventriculoperitoneal shunts in children with hydrocephalus following posterior fossa tumor resection: a systematic review and time-to-failure analysis

Pediatric hemispheric cerebellar low-grade gliomas: clinical approach, diagnosis, and management challenges-experience at a tertiary care children's hospital

PURPOSE

This study aims to provide an exhaustive analysis of pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) in the cerebellar hemispheres, focusing on incidence, clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and prognosis. It seeks to enhance understanding and management of pLGGs in the pediatric population.

METHODS

We conducted an observational, descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional study at a pediatric hospital, reviewing medical records of 30 patients with cerebellar hemispheric pLGGs treated from December 2014 to January 2023. Data collection included demographics, clinical presentation, imaging findings, surgical approach, postoperative complications, histopathological diagnosis, hydrocephalus management, and follow-up. Molecular markers and adjuvant therapies were also analyzed.

RESULTS

The cohort predominantly presented with cerebellar symptoms, with 60% showing hydrocephalus at diagnosis. MRI with gadolinium was crucial for diagnosis. Surgical focus was on achieving gross total resection (GTR), accomplished in 70% of cases. Postsurgical hydrocephalus was less common, and cerebellar mutism was not reported. While a complete molecular analysis was not performed in all cases, available data suggest significant influence of molecular markers on prognosis and therapeutic options of pLGGs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the unique clinical and molecular characteristics of cerebellar hemispheric pLGGs in children. The lower incidence of postoperative hydrocephalus and absence of cerebellar mutism are notable findings. Emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of pediatric pLGGs, underscoring the need for personalized treatment strategies and vigilant follow-up.

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.

Analysis of Evolution of Hydrocephalus in Posterior Fossa Tumors and Validation Study of the Modified Canadian Preoperative Prediction Rule for Hydrocephalus in Children and Frankfurt Grading System for Prediction of Cerebrospinal Fluid Diversion in Adults with Posterior Fossa Tumors

OBJECTIVE

We sought to analyze the evolution of hydrocephalus and enumerate its predictive factors in posterior fossa tumors in children and adults. We also validated the modified Canadian Preoperative Prediction Rule for Hydrocephalus (mCPPRH) and Frankfurt grading systems as tools to predict cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion in children and adults, respectively.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients with posterior fossa tumors operated between 2012 and 2019 was performed. Clinical, radiologic, and operative data were obtained. Validation was performed for both scores via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and evaluation of the area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

We included 116 children and 343 adults in the study. Of the adults, 141 patients had intraaxial tumors and 172 had extraaxial tumors. The insertion of external ventricular drain (EVD), its duration, papilledema was noted to have significant influence on the need for permanent CSF diversion (P < 0.05) in children. The ROC for mCPPRH score was 0.659 (0.501-0.816), Age- 0.496 (0.334-0.658) and Evans index- 0.788 (0.654-0.922). In adults- Intraaxial tumours Age, Frankfurt score, duration of EVD, Diagnosis, Extent of resection and periventricular capping significant predictors and ROC age AUC 0.300 (0.193-0.407), Evans index 0.939 (0.888-0.990), and Frankfurt score 0.908 (0.853-0.964) (P < 0.05), whereas in extraaxial tumors Frankfurt grading, sex, duration of EVD, presence of perilesional edema and extent of resection (P < 0.05) ROC age AUC 0.439 (0.344-0.534), Evans index 0.941 (0.906-0.977), and Frankfurt score 0.847 (0.782-0.912).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first external validation study for the 2 predictive systems in use. mCPPRH demonstrated poor predictive accuracy, and Frankfurt grading system demonstrated good accuracy. EVD insertion and its duration was significantly predictive of the need for permanent CSF diversion.

Role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in patients undergoing resection of pulvinar area lesions: Preliminary clinical results

BACKGROUND

Patients with pulvinar area lesions may develop hydrocephalus at any stage. The role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in this setting remains unclear.

METHOD

We retrospectively enrolled 15 patients with a mean age of 43 years who underwent endoscopic resection of pulvinar area lesions using the supracerebellar infratentorial approach (SCITA). We compared the different modalities of hydrocephalus management and their outcomes.

RESULTS

Nine of 15 patients (60.0%) had preoperative obstructive hydrocephalus. Five patients underwent ETV before tumor resection, and none developed postoperative hydrocephalus. Four patients underwent one-stage surgery for tumor removal, and one patient with a polymorphous low-grade neuroepithelial tumor of the young required postoperative ETV. Another patient with diffuse astrocytoma and hydrocephalus underwent concurrent lamina terminalis fenestration and endoscopic resection via the SCITA, which resulted in the resolution of hydrocephalus. The preoperative ETV group had no major postoperative complications, while the non-ETV group had three (0/5 vs. 3/4, P = 0.048). The ETV group also had a shorter intensive care unit stay; however, the difference was not significant (1.2 vs. 2.8; P = 0.188). ETV was effective in alleviating symptoms of postoperative hydrocephalus in patients with midbrain-invading tumors.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic surgery via the SCITA can address both tumor and hydrocephalus issues in some cases but has a higher surgical risk and postoperative hydrocephalus rate. Preoperative ETV can prevent these complications and improve postoperative outcomes.

A scoring system categorizing risk factors to evaluate the need for ventriculoperitoneal shunt in pediatric patients after brain tumor resection

Objectives

To develop a scoring system based on independent predictors of the need for ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt after brain tumor resection in pediatric patients.

Methods

A total of 416 pediatric patients (≤ 14 years old) with brain tumors who underwent surgery were randomly assigned to the training (n = 333) and validation cohorts (n = 83). Based on the implementation of VP shunt, the training cohort was divided into the VP shunt group (n = 35) and the non-VP shunt group (n = 298). Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed. A scoring system was developed based on clinical characteristics and operative data, and scores and corresponding risks were calculated.

Results

Age < 3 (p = 0.010, odds ratio [OR] = 3.162), blood loss (BL) (p = 0.005, OR = 1.300), midline tumor location (p < 0.001, OR = 5.750), preoperative hydrocephalus (p = 0.001, OR = 7.044), and total resection (p = 0.025, OR = 0.284) were identified as independent predictors. The area under the curve (AUC) of the scoring system was higher than those of age < 3, BL, midline tumor location, preoperative hydrocephalus, and total resection (0.859 vs. 0.598, 0.717, 0.725, 0.705, and 0.555, respectively; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the scoring system showed good performance in the validation cohort (AUC = 0.971). The cutoff value for predictive scores was 5.5 points, which categorized patients into low risk (0-5 points) and high risk (6-14 points) groups.

Conclusions

Our scoring system, integrating age < 3, BL, midline tumor location, preoperative hydrocephalus, and total resection, provides a practical evaluation. Scores ranging from 6 to 14 points indicate high risk.

Development of shunt valves used for treating hydrocephalus: comparison with endoscopy treatment

The pathophysiology of hydrocephalus is not clearly defined. Thus, treatment will remain empirical until a fuller understanding of the various forms of hydrocephalus is achieved. Valve-controlled shunting has been the mainstay of therapy since the late 1950s. Initially, shunting occurred from the ventricular system to the atrium. In the 1970s, VA shunts were replaced by ventriculoperitoneal shunts as the primary location for the distal end. Multiple types of one-way valve systems have been developed in the pursuit of draining the appropriate amount of CSF that avoids either overdrainage or underdrainage while preserving normal brain development and cognition. These valves are reviewed and compared as to their function. Other locations for the distal end of the shunting system are reviewed to include pleural space and gallbladder. The lumbar subarachnoid space as the proximal location for a shunt is also reviewed. The only other surgical alternative for treating hydrocephalus is endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Since 2000, approximately 50% of children with hydrocephalus have been shown to be candidates for ETV. The benefits are the lack of need for an artificial shunt system and thus lower rates of infection and over time fewer reoperations. Future progress is dependent on improved shunt valve systems that are affordable worldwide and ready availability of ETV in developing countries. Anatomic and molecular causes of hydrocephalus need to be defined so that medications or genetic modifications become available for potential cure of hydrocephalus.

Posterior fossa choroidplexus papilloma in the pediatric population: case series and literature review

Choroid plexus papillomas (CPPs) are rare benign neoplasms which are particularly uncommon in the posterior fossa in children. We herein present a case series of five patients treated at a tertiary care hospital. A comprehensive literature review was also carried out. The patients treated at the tertiary care hospital were aged between 4 and 16 years. Gross total resection (GTR) was initially achieved in two patients. All patients showed clinical improvement. Moreover, 27 articles published between 1975 and 2021 were selected for the literature review, totaling 46 patients; with the 5 patients previously described, the total sample was composed of 51 cases, With a mean age was 8.2 years. The lesions were located either in the fourth ventricle (65.3%) or the cerebellopontine angle (34.7%). Hydrocephalus was present preoperatively in 66.7% of the patients, and a permanent shunt was required in 31.6% of the cases. The GTR procedure was feasible in 64.5%, and 93.8% showed clinical improvement. For CPPs, GTR is the gold standard treatment and should be attempted whenever feasible, especially because the role of the adjuvant treatment remains controversial. Neuromonitoring is a valuable tool to achieve maximal safe resection. Hydrocephalus is common and must be recognized and promptly treated. Most patients will need a permanent shunt. Though there is still controversy on its efficacy, endoscopic third ventriculostomy is a safe procedure, and was the authors' first choice to treat hydrocephalus.

Cerebellar pilocytic astrocytoma. Retrospective cohort study assessing postoperative functional outcome, cerebellar mutism and hydrocephalus

Objective

Analyze a series of pediatric patients with cPAs evaluating factors that may modify or determine the final outcome in terms of neurological status, CMS and hydrocephalus.

Materials and methods

Single Center, retrospective cohort study of surgical patients with cPA and at least 12 months of follow-up. Clinical, imaging and surgical features, histopathology and adjuvancy were assessed. Clinical outcome was categorized using the FSS and modified Bloom-Scale in the short and long term. Recurrency, PFS and mortality were also analyzed.

Results

A total of 100 patients with a mean follow-up of 53.9 months, with no gender predilection, and a mean age of 7.6 years were included. The most frequent location was central and 24% of the tumors presented brainstem invasion. 79 patients had hydrocephalus at diagnosis and 48% required preoperative treatment. RT was achieved in 67% of cases. CMS was observed in 15 patients, statistically associated with location, pontine invasion, preoperative Bloom-score, and postoperative meningitis/ventriculitis. The functional "outcome" was correlated with complications such as meningitis/ventriculitis and cerebellar hematoma, mutism and recurrence. Recurrence was observed in 26% of cases and surgical reintervention was the chosen therapy.

Conclusion

The treatment of cPAs in pediatric patients is associated with relatively favorable results. Recurrence, CMS and surgical complications play a prognostic value in the outcome and therefore must be managed appropriately. Early treatment with the intention of GTR should be considered, opting, if this is not possible, to leave a tumor residue over neurological damage. The treatment of hydrocephalus in the preoperative instance requires individualized management.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Necessitating Cerebrospinal Fluid Diversion Following Medulloblastoma Surgery in Children

BACKGROUND

There are insufficient data on pediatric patients with medulloblastoma who require cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion following resection. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the incidence and the characteristics associated with it in this subset of patients.

METHODS

We conducted a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study of patients aged 18 years or less who underwent medulloblastoma resection at our department between 2010 and 2021. The primary outcome was the incidence of CSF diversion surgery required after resection. Participant demographics, tumor biology, and interventions were analyzed using univariate- and multivariate-adjusted models.

RESULTS

Of the 183 patients admitted to our department, 131 (71.6%) participated in this study. The incidence of permanent CSF diversion was 26.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.7 to 34.3). Factors independently associated with requirement of permanent CSF diversion were medulloblastoma volume >46.4 cm³ (odds ratio [OR]: 2.919, 95% CI: 1.191 to 7.156) and CSF channel invasion (OR: 2.849, 95% CI: 1.142 to 7.102). The duration of manifestation may be a covariate of tumor volume with increased risk of requirement for permanent CSF diversion (OR: 1.006, 95% CI: 1.000 to 1.013), and tumor volume may be a predictor in patients who underwent subtotal resection (OR: 4.900, 95% CI: 0.992 to 24.208, P = 0.05). Finally, patients who required permanent CSF diversion were divided according to medulloblastoma molecular subgroups, and no significant differences were found.

CONCLUSION

We report major predictive factors for permanent CSF diversion surgery in patients with medulloblastoma. Our study suggests that the presence of postresection hydrocephalus is not high enough to warrant permanent, prophylactic CSF diversion in all patients.

Blood Loss in Operation Is Independently Predictive of Postoperative Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt in Pediatric Patients With Posterior Fossa Tumors

BACKGROUND

To identify the risk factors for postoperative hydrocephalus and the need for ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt after posterior fossa tumor (PFT) resection in pediatric patients and establish a predictive model.

METHODS

A total of 217 pediatric patients (≤14 years old) with PFTs who underwent tumor resection from November 2010 to December 2020 were divided into a VP shunt group (n = 29) and non-VP shunt group (n = 188). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed. A predictive model was established based on the independent predictors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to determine the cutoff values and areas under the curve (AUCs). The Delong test was performed to compare the AUCs.

RESULTS

Age less than three years (P = 0.015, odds ratio [OR] = 3.760), blood loss (BL) (P = 0.002, OR = 1.601), and locations at fourth ventricle (P < 0.001, OR = 7.697) were the independent predictors. The predictive model was as follows: total score = age (<3; yes = 2, no = 0) + BL + tumor locations (fourth ventricle; yes = 5, no = 0). The AUC of our model was higher than those of age less than three years, BL, locations at the fourth ventricle, and compound factors (age <3 + locations) (0.842 vs 0.609, 0.734, 0.732, and 0.788, respectively). The cutoff values of the model and BL were 7.5 points and 2.75 U, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

BL, age less than three years, and tumors at the fourth ventricle were independent predictors. Model scores over 7.5 points predict a high risk.

Treatment of hydrocephalus following posterior fossa tumor resection: a multicenter collaboration from the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network

OBJECTIVE

Persistent hydrocephalus following posterior fossa brain tumor (PFBT) resection is a common cause of morbidity in pediatric brain tumor patients, for which the optimal treatment is debated. The purpose of this study was to compare treatment outcomes between VPS and ETV in patients with persistent hydrocephalus following surgical resection of a PFBT.

METHODS

A post-hoc analysis was performed of the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) prospective observational study evaluating VPS and ETV for pediatric patients. Children who experienced hydrocephalus secondary to PFBT from 2008 to 2021 were included. Primary outcomes were VPS/ETV treatment failure and time-to-failure (TTF).

RESULTS

Among 241 patients, the VPS (183) and ETV (58) groups were similar in age, extent of tumor resection, and preoperative ETV Success Score. There was no difference in overall treatment failure between VPS and ETV (33.9% vs 31.0%, p = 0.751). However, mean TTF was shorter for ETV than VPS (0.45 years vs 1.30 years, p = 0.001). While major complication profiles were similar, compared to VPS, ETV patients had relatively higher incidence of minor CSF leak (10.3% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.003) and pseudomeningocele (12.1% vs 3.3%, p = 0.02). No ETV failures were identified beyond 3 years, while shunt failures occurred beyond 5 years. Shunt infections occurred in 5.5% of the VPS cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

ETV and VPS offer similar overall success rates for PFBT-related postoperative hydrocephalus. ETV failure occurs earlier, while susceptibility to VPS failure persists beyond 5 years. Tumor histology and grade may be considered when selecting the optimal means of CSF diversion.

Peritoneal metastasis of a brainstem anaplastic ganglioglioma in a 2-year-old boy: case report and literature review

Anaplastic gangliogliomas (AGG) are rare tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) that commonly affect children and young adults, with an unusual infratentorial presentation, which is related to hydrocephalus and a worse prognosis. We report a case of a brainstem AGG in a 2-year-old boy who underwent a ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS) and later presented peritoneal metastasis. We also reviewed the related literature. Even though rare, disease dissemination through VPS should be sought in patients with CNS tumors and VPS who develop new abdominal symptoms. The early diagnosis and intervention may minimize morbidity and improve quality of life of such patients.

Management of Posterior Fossa Tumors in Adults Based on the Predictors of Postoperative Hydrocephalus

Objective

This study aims to identify the predictors of postoperative hydrocephalus in patients with posterior fossa tumors (PFTs) and guide the management of perioperative hydrocephalus.

Methods

We performed a single-institution, retrospective analysis of patients who underwent resection of PFTs in our department over a 10-year period (2011–2021). A total of 682 adult patients met the inclusion criteria and were divided into either a prophylactic external ventricular drainage (EVD) group or a nonprophylactic-EVD group. We analyzed data for the nonprophylactic-EVD group by univariate and multivariate analyses to identify predictors of postoperative acute hydrocephalus. We also analyzed all cases by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine the predictors of postoperative ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement.

Results

Tumor infiltrating the midbrain aqueduct [P = 0.001; odds ratio (OR) = 9.8], postoperative hemorrhage (P &lt; 0.001; OR = 66.7), and subtotal resection (P = 0.006; OR = 9.3) were independent risk factors for postoperative EVD. Tumor infiltrating the ventricular system (P &lt; 0.001; OR = 58.5) and postoperative hemorrhage (P &lt; 0.001; OR = 28.1) were independent risk factors for postoperative VP shunt placement.

Conclusions

These findings may help promote more aggressive monitoring and earlier interventions for postoperative hydrocephalus in patients with PFTs.

Hydrocephalus Study Design: Testing New Hypotheses in Clinical Studies and Bench-to-Bedside Research

In this article, we aimed to describe some of the currently most challenging problems in neurosurgical management of hydrocephalus and how these can be reasons for inspiration for and development of research. We chose 4 areas of focus: 2 dedicated to improvement of current treatments (shunt implant surgery and endoscopic hydrocephalus surgery) and 2 dedicated to emerging future treatment principles (molecular mechanisms of cerebrospinal fluid secretion and hydrocephalus genetics).

Postoperative hydrocephalus management may cause delays in adjuvant treatment following paediatric posterior fossa tumour resection: a multicentre retrospective observational study

INTRODUCTION

Hydrocephalus persists in 10-40% of children with posterior fossa tumours (PFT). A delay in commencement of adjuvant therapy (AT) can negatively influence survival. The objective of this study was to determine whether postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion procedures caused potentially preventable delays in AT.

METHODS

A retrospective study of children diagnosed with PFT requiring AT from 2004 to 2018 from two large centres was conducted. Data on histology, timing of ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VPS) insertion, and AT was collected. The modified Canadian Preoperative Prediction Rule for Hydrocephalus (mCPPRH) score was calculated. The primary outcome was delay in AT beyond 40 days post-resection. Progression-free and overall survival were assessed.

RESULTS

Out of 196 primary PFT resections, 144 fitted the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 6.57 ± 4.62. Histology was medulloblastoma (104), ependymoma (27), and others (13). Forty patients had a VPS inserted; 17 of these experienced a delay in AT. A total of 104 patients were not shunted; 15 of these had delayed AT (p = 0.0007). Patients who had a VPS insertion had longer intervals from surgery to commencement of AT (34.5 vs 30.8, p = 0.05). There was no significant difference in mCPPRH score between those who had a VPS (4.03) and those who did not (3.61; p = 0.252). Multivariable linear regression modelling did not show a significant effect of VPS or mCPPRH on progression-free survival or OS.

CONCLUSION

CSF diversion procedures may cause a preventable delay in the initiation of adjuvant therapy. Early post-operative VP shunt insertion, rather than a 'wait and see policy' should be considered in order to reduce this delay.

Tumor-related hydrocephalus in infants: a narrative review

Primary brain tumors diagnosed during infancy present several challenges for the pediatric neurosurgeon including the management of tumor-related hydrocephalus. Infant tumor-related hydrocephalus (iTRH) is present in over 70% of new diagnoses overall and in over 90% of infants with infratentorial neoplasms. iTRH may be related to direct obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways, shedding of protein and/or cells leading to dysfunctional subarachnoid, tumor-related CSF production, or, most frequently, a combination of these mechanisms. Treatment plans must consider the acuity of presentation, the mechanism of iTRH, and the additional neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapies required to treat the neoplasm. This narrative review provides a broad reference on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of iTRH.

Palliative endoscopic third ventriculostomy for pediatric primary brain tumors: a single-institution case series

OBJECTIVE

Children with nonoperative brain tumors, such as diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), often have life-threatening hydrocephalus. Palliative shunting is common in such cases but can be complicated by hardware infection and mechanical failure. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a minimally invasive alternative to treat hydrocephalus without implanted hardware. Herein, the authors report their institutional experience with palliative ETV for primary pediatric brain tumors.

METHODS

The authors conducted a retrospective review of consecutive patients who had undergone palliative ETV for hydrocephalus secondary to nonresectable primary brain tumors over a 10-year period at Rady Children's Hospital. Collected variables included age, sex, tumor type, tumor location, presence of leptomeningeal spread, use of a robot for ETV, complications, ETV Success Score (ETVSS), functional status, length of survival, and follow-up time. A successful outcome was defined as an ETV performed without clinically significant perioperative complications or secondary requirement for a new shunt.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients met the study inclusion criteria (11 males, 4 females; average age 7.9 years, range 0.8-21 years). Thirteen patients underwent manual ETV, and 2 patients underwent robotic ETV. Preoperative symptoms included gaze palsy, nausea/vomiting, headache, lethargy, hemiparesis, and seizures. Tumor types included DIPG (3), intraventricular/thalamic glioblastoma (2), and leptomeningeal spread of medulloblastoma (2), anaplastic oligo-/astrocytoma (2), rhabdoid tumor (2), primitive neuroectodermal tumor (1), ganglioglioma (1), pineoblastoma (1), and embryonal carcinoma (1). The mean preoperative ETVSS was 79 ± 8.8. There was 1 perioperative complication, a wound breakdown consistent with refractory hydrocephalus. The mean follow-up was 4.9 ± 5.5 months overall, and mean survival for the patients who died was 3.2 ± 3.6 months. Two patients remained alive at a mean follow-up of 15.7 months. Palliative ETV was successful in 7 patients (47%) and unsuccessful in 8 (53%). While patients with successful ETV were significantly older (11.9 ± 5.6 vs 4.4 ± 4.1 years, p = 0.010), there were no significant differences in preoperative ETVSS (p = 0.796) or postoperative survival (p = 0.476) between the successful and unsuccessful groups. Overall, functional outcomes were similar between the two groups; there was no significant difference in posttreatment Karnofsky Performance Status scores (68.6 ± 19.5 vs 61.3 ± 16.3, p = 0.454), suggesting that including ETV in the treatment algorithm did not worsen outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Palliative ETV is a safe and potentially efficacious treatment option in selected pediatric patients with hydrocephalus from nonoperative brain tumors. Close follow-up, especially in younger children, is required to ensure that patients with refractory symptoms receive appropriate secondary CSF diversion.

Pediatric Hydrocephalus and the Primary Care Provider

Hydrocephalus is a pathologic condition that results in the disruption of normal cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics often characterized by an increase in intracranial pressure resulting in an abnormal dilation of the ventricles. The goal of this article was to provide the necessary background information to understand the pathophysiology related to hydrocephalus, recognize the presenting signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus, identify when to initiate a workup with further studies, and understand the management of pediatric patients with a new and preexisting diagnosis of hydrocephalus.

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.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children: problems and surgical outcome: analysis of 34 cases

Background

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has been established as a viable treatment option for obstructive hydrocephalus of children over 6 weeks of age. ETV in pediatric groups may be unsuccessful due to the failure of absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or reclosure of ventriculostomy stoma or due to infection. The exact cause is still debatable. Some issues like failure to eliminate the second membrane during the procedure or formation of the new arachnoid membrane at the stoma are still not clear. This study aims to assess the surgical failure of ETV and its predisposing factors.

Methods

Thirty-four pediatric patients with hydrocephalus were analyzed retrospectively. The patients’ age limit was between 2.5 months and 14 years. This is a retrospective study of 34 patients in a single private hospital between June 2012 and January 2018. Patients having hydrocephalus in pediatric groups more than 6 weeks of age were included in the study.

Results

The mean age of all patients was 51.25 ± 53.90 months and the mean follow-up period was 50.47 ± 20.84 months. Of 34 surgeries, the success rate was 79% and the failure rate was 21%. Within 2 years, the success rate was 68.42% and above 2 years’ success rate was 93.33%. In this series, 7 cases of ETV were re-explored and found ventriculostomy stoma closure in 3 cases, the presence of the second membrane in re-exploration 2 cases, and presence of inflammatory arachnoid membrane in re-exploration 2 cases. The use of dexamethasone around the stoma in inflammatory stoma was useful, having no recurrence. In one patient of the second membrane probably due to absorption failure in communicating hydrocephalus re-exploration was failed and was managed successfully with VP shunt.

Conclusions

Predisposing factors causing ETV failure are ventriculostomy stoma closure by new arachnoid granulation tissues, remnants of the second membrane inside the stoma, CSF absorption failure, infection/high protein in CSF and inappropriate patient selection.

Glioblastoma Multiforme in the Cerebellopontine Angle in a Pediatric Patient

Posterior fossa tumors are frequently diagnosed in children compared to their adult counterparts, representing 54 to 70% of the cases. Tumors located in the cerebellopontine angle are rare and represent 10% of the posterior fossa lesions in children. In addition, glioblastoma multiforme is a malignant primary tumor of the central nervous system and represents 3% of the tumors in children. We present the fourth reported case of a glioblastoma multiforme, confirmed by histopathology and located in the cerebellopontine angle in a 6-year old child, which was treated with surgery and subsequently with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Thus, the presence of a glioblastoma multiforme in the cerebellopontine angle is extremely rare and needs a high-index of suspicion in children.

Pediatric posterior fossa tumors outcomes: Experience in a tertiary care center in the Middle East

BACKGROUND

Among all childhood cancers, brain tumors are second only to leukemia in incidence and are the most common solid pediatric tumors. More than 60 % of pediatric brain tumors are infra-tentorial. The first-line treatment for most infra-tentorial tumors in pediatric patients is surgical resection, with the goal of gross-total resection, relief of symptoms and hydrocephalus, and increased survival. The proximity to the fourth ventricle, and therefore, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways, predisposes children with posterior fossa tumors to the development of obstructive hydrocephalus and multiple other co-morbidities pre and post-surgery.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to present our series of pediatric posterior fossa tumor surgeries in the Neurosurgical Department at the American University of Beirut Medical Center(AUBMC) and perform internal quality control for our single-institution consecutive series as one of the largest referral and tertiary care centers in the region. The second purpose of this retrospective study is to weigh the risks of surgery against the presumed advantages and to have specific knowledge about the complication rates, especially those related to the CSF pathway, comparing our results to those in the literature.

METHODS

All pediatric patients (< 18 years of age), referred to our center from different regions in the middle east, and surgically treated for a posterior fossa tumor from June 2006 to June 2018 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center were included. A thorough review of all medical charts was performed to validate all the database records.

RESULTS

The patient sample consisted of 64 patients having a mean age of 6.19 ± 4.42 years and 59.37 % of whom were males. The most common tumor pathology was pilocytic astrocytoma (40.62 %) followed by medulloblastoma (35.93 %) and ependymoma. The most common type of tumor that was seen in patients that developed mutism postoperatively (n = 6, 9.37 %) was medulloblastoma (n = 4, 66.66 %). In this patient sample, 12.28 % (n = 7) of the patients developed hydrocephalus postoperatively.Midline tumors were more associated with the development of mutism(OR = 4.632, p = 0.306) and hydrocephalus (OR = 5.056, p = 0.135) postoperatively, albeit not statistically significantly.The presence of a preoperative shunt was shown to be protective against the development of CSF leak (OR = 0.636, p = 0.767), as none of the patients that came in with CSF diversion developed a CSF leak after their surgery.

CONCLUSION

This study from a single center experience accompanied by a thorough literature review sheds light on the complications frequently encountered after posterior fossa tumor surgery in children. These included transient cerebellar mutism, CSF leak, and hydrocephalus as seen in some of our patients. Our findings highlight the need for prospective studies with well-defined protocols directed at assessing novel ways and approaches to minimize the risk of these complications.

The role of external ventricular drainage for the management of posterior cranial fossa tumours: a systematic review

Posterior cranial fossa tumours frequently develop hydrocephalus as first presentation in up to 80% of paediatric patients and 21.4% of adults, although it resolves after tumour removal in 70-90% and 96%, respectively. New onset hydrocephalus is reported in about 2.1% of adult and 10-40% of paediatric patients after posterior fossa surgery. There is no consensus concerning prophylactic external ventricular drainage (EVD) placement that is frequently used before posterior fossa lesion removal, as well in those cases without clear evidence of hydrocephalus. The aim of the study was to define the most correct management for patients who undergo posterior fossa tumour surgery, thus identifying cohorts of patients who are at risk of persistent hydrocephalus prior to surgery. A systematic review of literature has been performed, following PRISMA guidelines. Most of the studies reported CSF shunt only in the presence of hydrocephalus, whereas only a few authors suggested its prophylactic use in the absence of signs of ventricular dilatation. Predictive factors for postoperative hydrocephalus has been identified, including young age (< 3 years), severe symptomatic hydrocephalus at presentation, EVD placement before surgery, FOHR index > 0.46 and Evans index > 0.4, pseudomeningocele, CSF leak and infection. The use of pre-resection CSF shunt in case of signs and symptoms of hydrocephalus is mandatory, although it resolves in the majority of cases. As reported by several studies included in the present review, we suggest CSF shunt also in case of asymptomatic hydrocephalus, whereas it is not indicated without evidence of ventricular dilatation.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy versus ventriculoperitoneal shunt in pediatric and adult population: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Treatment options for hydrocephalus include endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). Some ambiguity remains regarding indications, safety, and efficacy for these procedures in different clinical scenarios. The objective of the present study was to pool the available evidence to compare outcomes among patients with hydrocephalus undergoing ETV versus VPS. A systematic search of the literature was conducted via PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library through 11/29/2018 to identify studies evaluating failure and complication rates, following ETV or VPS. Pooled effect estimates were calculated using random effects. Heterogeneity was assessed by the Cochrane Q test and the I² value. Heterogeneity sources were explored through subgroup analyses and meta-regression. Twenty-three studies (five randomized control trials (RCTs) and 18 observational studies) were meta-analyzed. Comparing ETV to VPS, failure rate was not statistically significantly different with a pooled relative risk (RR) of 1.48, 95%CI (0.85, 2.59) for RCTs and 1.17 (0.89, 1.53) for cohort studies; P-interaction: 0.44. Complication rates were not statistically significantly different between ETV and VPS in RCTs (RR: 1.34, 95%CI: 0.50, 3.59) but were statistically significant for prospective cohort studies (RR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.30, 0.78); P-interaction: 0.07. Length of hospital stay was no different, when comparing ETV and VPS. These results remained unchanged when stratifying by intervention type and when regressing on age when possible. No significant differences in failure rate were observed between ETV and VPS. ETV was found to have lower complication rates than VPS in prospective cohort studies but not in RCTs. Further research is needed to identify the specific patient populations who may be better suited for one intervention versus another.

Does pre-resection endoscopic third ventriculostomy prevent the need for post-resection CSF diversion after pediatric posterior fossa tumor excision? A historical cohort study and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

Children with posterior fossa tumors (PFTs) may present with hydrocephalus. Persistent (or new) hydrocephalus is common after PFT resection. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is sometimes performed prior to resection to 1) temporize hydrocephalus prior to resection and 2) prophylactically treat post-resection hydrocephalus. The objective of this study was to establish, in a historical cohort study of pediatric patients who underwent primary craniotomy for PFT resection, whether or not pre-resection ETV prevents the need for post-resection CSF diversion to manage hydrocephalus.

METHODS

The authors interrogated their prospectively maintained surgical neuro-oncology database to find all primary PFT resections from a single tertiary pediatric neurosurgery unit. These data were reviewed and supplemented with data from case notes and radiological review. The modified Canadian Preoperative Prediction Rule for Hydrocephalus (mCPPRH) score was retrospectively calculated for all patients. The primary outcome was the need for any form of postoperative CSF diversion within 6 months of PFT resection (including ventriculoperitoneal shunting, ETV, external ventricular drainage [EVD], and lumbar drainage [LD]). This was considered an ETV failure in the ETV group. The secondary outcomes were time to CSF diversion, shunt dependence at 6 months, and complications of ETV. Statistical analysis was done in RStudio, with significance defined as p < 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 95 patients were included in the study. There were 28 patients in the ETV group and 67 in the non-ETV group. Patients in the ETV group were younger (median age 5 vs 7 years, p = 0.04) and had more severe preoperative hydrocephalus (mean frontal-occipital horn ratio 0.45 vs 0.41 in the non-ETV group, p = 0.003) and higher mCPPRH scores (mean 4.42 vs 2.66, p < 0.001). The groups were similar in terms of sex and tumor histology. The overall rate of post-resection CSF diversion of any kind (shunt, repeat ETV, LD, or EVD) in the entire cohort was 25.26%. Post-resection CSF diversion was needed in 32% of patients in the ETV group and in 22% of the patients in the non-ETV group (p > 0.05). Shunt dependence at 6 months was seen in 21% of the ETV group and 16% of the non-ETV group (p > 0.05). The median time to ETV failure was 9 days. ETV failure correlated with patients with ependymoma (p = 0.02). Children who had ETV failure had higher mCPPRH scores than the ETV success group (5.67 vs 3.84, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-resection ETV did not reliably prevent the need for post-resection CSF diversion. ETV was more likely to fail in children with ependymoma and those with higher mCPPRH scores. Based on the findings of this study, the authors will change the practice at their institution; pre-resection ETV will now be performed based on a newly defined protocol.

Graft dural closure is associated with a reduction in CSF leak and hydrocephalus in pediatric patients undergoing posterior fossa brain tumor resection

OBJECTIVE

The authors aimed to evaluate clinical, radiological, and surgical factors associated with posterior fossa tumor resection (PFTR)-related outcomes, including postoperative complications related to dural augmentation (CSF leak and wound infection), persistent hydrocephalus ultimately requiring permanent CSF diversion after PFTR, and 90-day readmission rate.

METHODS

Pediatric patients (0-17 years old) undergoing PFTR between 2000 and 2016 at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital of Vanderbilt University were retrospectively reviewed. Descriptive statistics included the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare means that were nonnormally distributed and the chi-square test for categorical variables. Variables that were nominally associated (p < 0.05) with each outcome by univariate analysis were included as covariates in multivariate linear regression models. Statistical significance was set a priori at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The cohort consisted of 186 patients with a median age at surgery of 6.62 years (range 3.37-11.78 years), 55% male, 83% Caucasian, and average length of follow-up of 3.87 ± 0.25 years. By multivariate logistic regression, the variables primary dural closure (PDC; odds ratio [OR] 8.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-100, p = 0.04), pseudomeningocele (OR 7.43, 95% CI 2.23-23.76, p = 0.0007), and hydrocephalus ultimately requiring permanent CSF diversion within 90 days of PFTR (OR 9.25, 95% CI 2.74-31.2, p = 0.0003) were independently associated with CSF leak. PDC versus graft dural closure (GDC; 35% vs 7%, OR 5.88, 95% CI 2.94-50.0, p = 0.03) and hydrocephalus ultimately requiring permanent CSF diversion (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.07-10.19, p = 0.0007) were associated with wound infection requiring surgical debridement. By multivariate logistic regression, GDC versus PDC (23% vs 37%, OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-0.87, p = 0.04) was associated with persistent hydrocephalus ultimately requiring permanent CSF diversion, whereas pre- or post-PFTR ventricular size, placement of peri- or intraoperative extraventricular drain (EVD), and radiation therapy were not. Furthermore, the addition of perioperative EVD placement and dural closure method to a previously validated predictive model of post-PFTR hydrocephalus improved its performance from area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.69 to 0.74. Lastly, the authors found that autologous (vs synthetic) grafts may be protective against persistent hydrocephalus (p = 0.02), but not CSF leak, pseudomeningocele, or wound infection.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that GDC, independent of potential confounding factors, may be protective against CSF leak, wound infection, and hydrocephalus in patients undergoing PFTR. Additional studies are warranted to further evaluate clinical and surgical factors impacting PFTR-associated complications.

Comparing the Efficiency of Two Treatment Methods of Hydrocephalus: Shunt Implantation and Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy

Introduction:

Hydrocephalus is one of the most common diseases in children, and its treatment requires brain operation. However, the pathophysiology of the disease is very complicated and still unknown.

Methods:

Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) and Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt (VPS) implantation are among the common treatments of hydrocephalus. In this study, Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) hydrodynamic parameters and efficiency of the treatment methods were compared with numerical simulation and clinical follow-up of the treated patients.

Results:

Studies have shown that in patients under 19 years of age suffering from hydrocephalus related to a Posterior Fossa Brain Tumor (PFBT), the cumulative failure rate was 21% and 29% in ETV and VPS operation, respectively. At first, the ETV survival curve shows a sharp decrease and after two months it gets fixed while VPS curve makes a gradual decrease and reaches to a level lower than ETV curve after 5.7 months. Post-operative complications in ETV and VPS methods are 17% and 31%, respectively. In infants younger than 12 months with hydrocephalus due to congenital Aqueduct Stenosis (AS), and also in the elderly patients suffering from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), ETV is a better treatment option. Computer simulations show that the maximum CSF pressure is the most reliable hydrodynamic index for the evaluation of the treatment efficacy in these patients. After treatment by ETV and shunt methods, CSF pressure decreases about 9 and 5.3 times, respectively and 2.5 years after shunt implantation, this number returns to normal range.

Conclusion:

In infants with hydrocephalus, initial treatment by ETV was more reasonable than implanting the shunt. In adult with hydrocephalus, the initial failure in ETV occurred sooner compared to shunt therapy; however, ETV was more efficient.

Postoperative intraventricular blood: a new modifiable risk factor for early postoperative symptomatic hydrocephalus in children with posterior fossa tumors

OBJECTIVE

To analyze factors associated with the development of early symptomatic hydrocephalus following posterior fossa tumor (PFT) surgery in children.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, data from 148 children (age < 18 years) who underwent primary resection of their PFTs without preoperative permanent CSF diversion procedures were collected. The incidence of symptomatic hydrocephalus within 30 days of tumor resection was studied and its association with various demographic, tumor-related, and surgery-related risk factors was analyzed.

RESULTS

At presentation, 131 (89%) of the 148 patients had symptomatic hydrocephalus. There were 99 males and 49 females (mean age 8.7 years; range 1 to 17 years). Postoperatively, 14 (9.4%) patients required shunt placement for symptomatic hydrocephalus. The indications for shunt surgery were persistent symptoms of raised intracranial pressure (n = 6, 43%), CSF leak from the wound (n = 7, 50%), and tense pseudomeningocele (n = 1, 7%). On multivariate analysis, age < 6 years (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.6-22.6, p = 0.009) and the presence of intraventricular blood (IVB) on postoperative CT (OR 6.4, 95% CI 1.7-23.7, p = 0.006) were independent risk factors for developing symptomatic hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of postoperative symptomatic hydrocephalus in our series (9.4%) is lower than that reported in most previous studies. Age < 6 years and the presence of postoperative IVB were independent risk factors for developing symptomatic hydrocephalus. Of these, postoperative IVB is probably the only modifiable risk factor.

Treating empyema thoracis using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and open decortication procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis by meta-mums tool

INTRODUCTION

The optimal treatment of empyema thoracis is still debatable between academics and surgeons. This study reviews advantages and disadvantages of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open thoracotomy decortication (OTD) considering outcomes of empyema thoracis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive Boolean query was used for searching three databases to extract the published studies up to 27 March 2017. The outcomes of VATS and OTD were extracted and assessed by random-effects model of meta-analysis. The Egger's test and trim-and-fill method were used for analyzing publication bias, and, meta-regression and subgroup analyses were done for determining heterogeneity.

RESULTS

A total of 2219 patients, from 13 studies, meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and subjected to further analyses. Of 2219 patients, 1120 were treated by VATS and the remaining were subjected to OTD. During VATS, 252 patients were converted to OTD. Forest plots showed that VATS was far superior in terms of incidence of duration of hospital stay and operative time (SMDs = 1.189, 1.565; p < 0.001, < 0.001) compared to OTD. Mortality, prolonged air leakage, wound infection, and recurrence rates (ORs = 1.234, 2.564, 1.363, 1.962; p = 0.576, 0.077, 0.0692, 0.4) had no advantages for both procedures while failure or conversion rate (OR = 0.198, p < 0.001) of VATS was more than those of OTD.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current research suggest no trends of superior outcomes with VATS in the treatment of empyema thoracis. Hence, VATS and OTD could be recommended as treatments for empyema thoracis.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy prior to resection of posterior fossa tumors in children

OBJECTIVE

Hydrocephalus is a common presenting symptom of pediatric posterior fossa tumors and often requires permanent cerebrospinal fluid diversion even after resection. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a well-established treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus in children. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that ETV prior to posterior fossa tumor resection decreases the rate of postoperative ventriculoperitonal shunt (VPS) placement.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who presented with hydrocephalus and underwent posterior fossa tumor resection between 2005 and 2016 excluding pineal and tectal tumors. The rate of postoperative VPS placement was compared in patients who underwent resection and had a VPS placed perioperatively (historical controls) with patients who underwent ETV prior to resection. The two groups were matched for demographics, tumor histology, and tumor location. We also performed a literature review of prior studies that examined the role of ETV in pediatric posterior fossa tumors.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients in the control group were compared to 38 patients in our study. The patients were matched across all variables (age, gender, tumor histology, and tumor locations). The rate of postoperative VPS placement was 31% in the control group compared to 16% in the ETV group. No complications were encountered during ETV.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy prior to posterior fossa tumor resection in children appears to decrease the rate of postoperative VPS placement. Given its efficacy and safety, ETV should be considered prior to tumor resection in these patients.

Predictive factors associated with ventriculoperitoneal shunting after posterior fossa tumor surgery in children

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to evaluate established risk factors and define new inflammation-associated factors associated with postoperative ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement.

METHODS

The electronic medical records of children who underwent surgery for a tumor in the posterior fossa between January 2009 and January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Factors evaluated include age, clinical symptoms, tumor type, extent of surgical tumor resection, treatment with EVD and/or ETV, radiological findings, postoperative serum CRP, and leucocyte levels. Tumor tissue was stained immunohistochemically with antibodies against CD3, and leucocyte counts were performed. Patients with pre- or postoperative signs of infection or confirmation of a concurrent infection were excluded from some analyses.

RESULTS

Seventy patients ages 0.4-20.8 years (median, 8.2) were included. Forty-five of 70 (65.3%) presented postoperative radiological signs of hydrocephalus. Fifteen of 70 (21.4%) patients required shunt placement postoperatively. Shunt placement was significantly associated with age < 3 years at diagnosis (p = 0.013), perioperative EVD placement (p < 0.001), signs of hydrocephalus in postoperative imaging (p = 0.047), a frontooccipital horn ratio (FOHR) > 0.46 within the first 72 h postoperatively (p < 0.001), and the presence of intraventricular blood postoperatively (p = 0.007). Six patients who underwent shunting had serum CRP levels > 40 mg/l (p = 0.030) within the first 48 h postoperatively. Tumor type or extent of resection did not correlate with shunt placement.

CONCLUSIONS

Several established and new factors associated with shunt placement after posterior fossa tumor surgery could be identified. Additional studies are needed to explore the aseptic inflammation pathways involved with increased CRP levels and shunt placement.

A systematic review of shunt-related extraneural metastases of primary central nervous system tumors

Extraneural metastasis (ENM) of primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors is an uncommon occurrence. Case reports and case series describe ENM after shunting, but this phenomenon has not been well characterized. In this review we aim to better understand the risk factors and clinical implications of ENM associated with shunting. A literature search of cases of ENM related to shunt placement in patients with primary CNS tumors reported through January 2018 was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. We identified 106 cases of ENM of primary CNS tumors related to shunt placement. The three most common tumor histologies resulting in ENM were germinoma (24%), medulloblastoma (21%), and glioblastoma (11%). Of the patients with ENM, 48% had leptomeningeal spread and 37% had brain or spinal cord metastasis. Mean survival time from shunt placement was 13 months. Ventriculoatrial-shunted cases had higher rates of widespread metastasis and shorter average survival time from shunt placement (2 months) than the average of all types of shunts. Given the known association with ENM, careful consideration should be given to shunt placement in patients with primary CNS tumors, especially germinomas, medulloblastomas, and glioblastomas. Appropriate surveillance should be instituted after shunt placement, and leptomeningeal or neural metastasis should prompt the consideration of potential ENM. When considering distal shunt options, our review suggests that ventriculoatrial shunts should be avoided if possible. For truly obstructive pathologies, the risk of ENM is a further indication to consider other treatment options such as endoscopic third ventriculostomy rather than shunt placement.

The effect of tumor removal via craniotomies on preoperative hydrocephalus in adult patients with intracranial tumors

The efficacy of tumor removal via craniotomies on preoperative hydrocephalus (HC) in adult patients with intracranial tumors is largely unknown. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the effect of tumor resection in patients with preoperative HC and identify the incidence and risk factors for postoperative VP shunt dependency. All craniotomies for intracranial tumors at Oslo University Hospital in patients ≥ 18 years old during a 10-year period (2004-2013) were reviewed. Patients with radiologically confirmed HC requiring surgery and subsequent development of shunt dependency were identified by cross-linking our prospectively collected tumor database to surgical procedure codes for hydrocephalus treatment (AAF). Patients with preexisting ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts (N = 41) were excluded. From 4774 craniotomies performed on 4204 patients, a total of 373 patients (7.8%) with HC preoperatively were identified. Median age was 54.4 years (range 18.1-83.9 years). None were lost to follow-up. Of these, 10.5% (39/373) required permanent CSF shunting due to persisting postoperative HC. The risk of becoming VP shunt dependent in patients with preexisting HC was 7.0% (26/373) within 30 days and 8.9% (33/373) within 90 days. Only secondary (repeat) surgery was a significant risk factor for VP shunt dependency. In this large, contemporary, single-institution consecutive series, 10.5% of intracranial tumor patients with preoperative HC became shunt-dependent post-craniotomy, yielding a surgical cure rate for HC of 89.5%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first and largest study regarding postoperative shunt dependency after craniotomies for intracranial tumors, and can serve as benchmark for future studies.

Surgical decision-making in the management of childhood tumors of the CNS disseminated at presentation

OBJECTIVE It is relatively unusual for pediatric CNS tumors to be disseminated at presentation, and the literature on the clinical features, management, and outcomes of this specific group is scarce. Surgical management in this population is often challenging, particularly in the presence of hydrocephalus. The authors present their recent experience of treating pediatric CNS tumors that were disseminated at presentation, and they compare these lesions with focal tumors. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective review of prospectively collected data on children presenting to a tertiary center between 2003 and 2016 inclusive. RESULTS Of 361 children with CNS tumors, the authors identified 53 patients with disease dissemination at presentation (male/female ratio 34:19, median age 3.8 years, age range 7 days to 15.6 years) and 308 without dissemination at presentation (male/female ratio 161:147, median age 5.8 years, age range 1 day to 16.9 years). Five tumor groups were studied: medulloblastoma (disseminated n = 29, focal n = 74), other primitive neuroectodermal tumor (n = 8, n = 17), atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (n = 8, n = 22), pilocytic astrocytoma (n = 6, n = 138), and ependymoma (n = 2, n = 57). The median follow-up duration in survivors was not significantly different between those with disease dissemination at presentation (64.0 months, range 5.2-152.0 months) and those without it (74.5 months, range 4.7-170.1 months) (p > 0.05). When combining data from all 5 tumor groups, dissemination status at presentation was significantly associated with a higher risk of requiring CSF diversion, a higher surgical complication rate, and a reduced likelihood of achieving gross-total resection of the targeted lesion (all variables p < 0.05). Differences between the 5 tumor groups were evident. No factors that predicted the need for permanent CSF diversion following temporary external ventricular drainage were identified on multivariate analysis, and there was no clear superiority of either ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery or endoscopic third ventriculostomy as a permanent CSF diversion procedure. CONCLUSIONS Tumor type and dissemination status at initial presentation significantly affect outcomes across a range of measures. The management of hydrocephalus in patients with CNS tumors is challenging, and further prospective studies are required to identify the optimal CSF diversion strategy in this population.

Frequency and treatment of hydrocephalus prior to and after posterior fossa tumor surgery in adult patients

BACKGROUND

There is paucity of information about the frequency of hydrocephalus prior to and after posterior fossa tumor surgery in adult patients and about the best way it should be managed. The present study was conducted to determine the frequency of hydrocephalus prior to and after posterior fossa tumor surgery in adult patients as well as the value of an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) prior to posterior fossa tumor surgery with regard to the rate of perioperative complications and persistent hydrocephalus.

METHODS

A single-institution retrospective chart review of all posterior fossa tumor surgeries of our department in a 10-year period (2005 to 2014) has been done.

RESULTS

Fifty-two of 243 adult patients with posterior fossa tumors presented with hydrocephalus at the time of admission prior to tumor surgery. 39/52 received early tumor surgery, 11/52 an ETV prior to tumor surgery and in 2/52 an external ventricular drainage (EVD) was inserted prior to tumor surgery. 3/52 patients required a permanent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diverting procedure for persistent hydrocephalus after tumor removal. One hundred ninety-one patients did not demonstrate a hydrocephalus before surgical treatment and four of them developed a post-resection hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSION

The frequency of hydrocephalus prior to posterior fossa tumor surgery in adult patients is 21.4% and therefore much lower than in respective reports of pediatric patients. The risk of persistent hydrocephalus and newly developed hydrocephalus after tumor surgery was very low, too (5.7 and 2.1%, respectively). An ETV is not justified in every adult patient prior to posterior fossa tumor surgery.

FSI simulation of CSF hydrodynamic changes in a large population of non-communicating hydrocephalus patients during treatment process with regard to their clinical symptoms

3D fluid-structure interaction modelling was utilized for simulation of 13 normal subjects, 11 non-communicating hydrocephalus (NCH) patients at pre-treatment phase, and 3 patients at five post-treatment phases. Evaluation of ventricles volume and maximum CSF pressure (before shunting) following results validation indicated that these parameters were the most proper hydrodynamic indices and the NCH type doesn't have any significant effect on changes in two indices. The results confirmed an appropriate correlation between these indices although the correlation decreased slightly after the occurrence of disease. NCH raises the intensity of vortex and pulsatility (2.4 times) of CSF flow while the flow remains laminar. On day 18 after shunting, the CSF pressure decreased 81.0% and all clinical symptoms of patients vanished except for headache. Continuing this investigation during the treatment process showed that maximum CSF pressure is the most sensitive parameter to patients' clinical symptoms. Maximum CSF pressure has decreased proportional to the level of decrease in clinical symptoms and has returned close to the pressure range in normal subjects faster than other parameters and simultaneous with disappearance of patients' clinical symptoms (from day 81 after shunting). However, phase lag between flow rate and pressure gradient functions and the degree of CSF pulsatility haven't returned to normal subjects' conditions even 981 days after shunting and NCH has also caused a permanent volume change (of 20.1%) in ventricles. Therefore, patients have experienced a new healthy state in new hydrodynamic conditions after shunting and healing. Increase in patients' intracranial compliance was predicted with a more accurate non-invasive method than previous experimental methods up to more than 981 days after shunting. The changes in hydrodynamic parameters along with clinical reports of patients can help to gain more insight into the pathophysiology of NCH patients.

Comparison of hydrocephalus metrics between infants successfully treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization and those treated with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt: a multicenter matched-cohort analysis

OBJECTIVE It has been suggested that the treatment of infant hydrocephalus results in different craniometric changes depending upon whether ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement or endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization (ETV/CPC) is performed. Without an objective and quantitative description of expected changes to the infant cranium and ventricles following ETV/CPC, asserting successful treatment of hydrocephalus is difficult. By comparing infants successfully treated via ETV/CPC or VPS surgery, the authors of this study aimed to define the expected postoperative cranial and ventricular alterations at the time of clinical follow-up. METHODS Patients who underwent successful treatment of hydrocephalus at 4 institutions with either VPS placement or ETV/CPC were matched in a 3:1 ratio on the basis of age and etiology. Commonly used cranial parameters (including head circumference [HC], HC z-score, fontanelle status, and frontooccipital horn ratio [FOHR]) were compared pre- and postoperatively between treatment cohorts. First, baseline preoperative values were compared to ensure cohort equivalence. Next, postoperative metrics, including the relative change in metrics, were compared between treatment groups using multivariate linear regression. RESULTS Across 4 institutions, 18 ETV/CPC-treated and 54 VPS-treated infants with hydrocephalus were matched and compared at 6 months postoperatively. The most common etiologies of hydrocephalus were myelomeningocele (61%), followed by congenital communicating hydrocephalus (17%), aqueductal stenosis (11%), and intraventricular hemorrhage (6%). The mean age at the time of CSF diversion was similar between ETV/CPC- and VPS-treated patients (3.4 vs 2.9 months; p = 0.69), as were all preoperative cranial hydrocephalus metrics (p > 0.05). Postoperatively, the ventricle size FOHR decreased significantly more following VPS surgery (-0.15) than following ETV/CPC (-0.02) (p < 0.001), yielding a lower postoperative FOHR in the VPS arm (0.42 vs 0.51; p = 0.01). The HC percentile was greater in the ETV/CPC cohort than in the VPS-treated patients (76th vs 54th percentile; p = 0.046). A significant difference in the postoperative z-score was not observed. With both treatment modalities, a bulging fontanelle reliably normalized at last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Clinical and radiographic parameters following successful treatment of hydrocephalus in infants differed between ETV/CPC and VPS treatment. At 6 months post-ETV/CPC, ventricle size remained unchanged, whereas VPS-treated ventricles decreased to a near-normal FOHR. The HC growth control between the procedures was similar, although the final HC percentile may be lower after VPS. The fontanelle remained a reliable indicator of success for both treatments. This study establishes expected cranial and ventricular parameters following ETV/CPC, which may be used to guide preoperative counseling and postoperative decision making.