Evaluation of the Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy Success Score for Pediatric Hydrocephalus: Experience from a Singapore Children's Hospital.

INTRODUCTION

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a well-established neurosurgical procedure. Concurrently, the Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy Success Score (ETVSS) is a recognized validation tool commonly used to prognosticate the efficacy of this intervention. The main aims of this study are to review our institutional experience with ETV for pediatric hydrocephalus and evaluate its correlation with the ETVSS. Secondary aims include identification of other factors that are not part of the existing ETVSS and to corroborate our findings with contemporary literature.

METHODS

This is a single-institution, retrospective study. Patients under 19 years old who underwent ETV were included. Variables of interest such as patient characteristics, hydrocephalus etiology, procedural details, perioperative complications, neuroimaging features, and outcomes were collected. Radiological parameters curated from the literature such as third ventricular floor bowing, lamina terminalis bowing, third ventricular morphology index, and presence of prepontine adhesions (PPAs) are also included. For this study, the primary outcome measure is "ETV success," defined as no need for shunt insertion to divert CSF at any point in time after ETV. Subsequent outcome of each ETV is correlated with the ETVSS. Additional factors are also independently assessed for their impact on the ETVSS in our study cohort.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine ETV cases were recruited for this study whereby ETV was successful in 63.8% (n = 44) cases. At 12 months' follow-up, their ETV stomas remained patent. Of note, 24.6% (n = 17) ETV failures occurred within 30 days of the procedure. In our series, ETV success correlated well with ETVSS. The ETV success rate was 0% for post-infectious and post-hemorrhagic etiologies. For the cases of ETV failure, definitive CSF diversion procedures were necessary within 3 months from their initial ETV. Logistic regression analysis showed ETVSS (odds ratio 1.068, p = 0.037) and the presence of PPA (p = 0.02) significantly correlated with ETV success.

CONCLUSION

Our institutional experience in the use of ETV for pediatric hydrocephalus corroborates with findings from contemporary literature. In the context of our study, the ETVSS is applicable and the absence of PPA on neuroimaging demonstrates good correlation with ETV success.