Acquired hydrocephalus VI. The influence of some competitive diseases in the treatment of acquired hydrocephalus.

Based on the results of quantitative isotope ventriculography (QIV) a group of 25 patients was divided into 17 hydrocephalic and 8 non- or doubtfully hydrocephalic patients. An atrio-ventricular shunt (A-V shunt) was inserted in all 25 patients. Eight of the hydrocephalic patients improved or became well, while nine hydrocephalic patients were unchanged, worse or dead at the time of follow-up. These nine patients suffered either from severe brain damage, chronic alcoholism over several years, arterial hypertension, severe diabetes, or acute meningo-encephalitis caused by a virus infection. None of the eight non- or doubtfully hydrocephalic patients improved after the operation. From this it was concluded that QIV is of considerable diagnostic value in acquired hydrocephalus.