Flexible endoneurosurgical therapy for aqueductal stenosis.

We successfully managed 11 patients with aqueductal stenosis of adult or adolescent onset, with no mortality or significant morbidity, by using a flexible ventriculoscope to perform either a third ventriculostomy or an aqueductal plasty. A flexible fiberoptic ventriculoscope and its accessories were newly developed, and surgical techniques were improved. For all patients, cinemagnetic resonance imaging was a critical part of the preoperative and postoperative evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid flow in the third ventricle and in the aqueduct of Sylvius. All of the 11 patients showed patency to cerebrospinal fluid flow at the aqueduct of Sylvius and the floor of the third ventricle. Only one patient subsequently required a lumboperitoneal shunt. Flexible endoneurosurgical management is simple and safe and allows in situ observation and the ability to perform biopsies. Therefore, flexible endoneurosurgical third ventriculostomy and aqueductal plasty are now considered our treatment of choice for aqueductal stenosis in adults and adolescents.