OBJECTIVES

The treatment of multiloculated hydrocephalus is a difficult problem in pediatric neurosurgery. Definitive treatment is surgical, yet the approach remains controversial. The author has therefore reviewed his results with endoscopic cyst fenestration (ECF) in the management of this disease.

METHODS

The author presents the largest series to date of 24 patients with multiloculated hydrocephalus who were treated endoscopically. The group included 10 boys and 14 girls with a mean age of 12.5 months. Uniloculated hydrocephalus was not included in this study because it is a different entity that would be better studied separately.

RESULTS

Neonatal meningitis was the most common cause (in 9 patients), followed by intraventricular hemorrhage (in 6 patients), postoperative gliosis (in 6 patients), and multiple neuroepithelial cysts (in 3 patients). Multiplanar magnetic resonance images made early diagnosis possible and are indicated if the computed tomography scan shows disproportionate hydrocephalus. Surgical treatment included ECF (in 24 patients), endoscopic revision of a malfunctioning preexisting shunt (in 6 patients), placement of a new shunt (in 15 patients), and third ventriculostomy (in 3 patients). The ECF was easily performed in all cases through devascularization of the cyst wall by coagulation to prevent recurrence. The results are encouraging with improvement of hydrocephalus in 18 patients (75%). The need for shunt insertion was avoided in 3 patients (12.5%). Endoscopy reduced shunt revision rate from 2.9 per year before fenestration to 0.2 per year after fenestration. During the overall mean follow-up period (30 months), repeated ECF was necessary in 8 patients (33%). Six (75%) of these 8 patients had already undergone shunt treatment before endoscopy. Endoscopic complications were minimal (2 cerebrospinal fluid leaks and 2 minor arterial hemorrhages), and there were no deaths (0%).

CONCLUSIONS

An ECF procedure is recommended in the treatment of multiloculated hydrocephalus because it is effective, simple, minimally invasive, and associated with low morbidity and mortality rates.