Subdural effusion: results after treatment with subdural-pleural shunts.
In an unselected material of 22 consecutive patients subdural effusion, which did not respond to repeated taps, was treated with subdural-pleural shunt operation using nonvalve silicone catheters. After a mean follow-up time of 3 years 4 months, 17 patients (77%) were mentally and 15 patients (69%) neurologically normal. The results are certainly not worse than results achieved with craniotomies and membranectomies. A shunt operation is more simple and less hazardous than membranectomy and we agree with the opinion that the latter is an obsolete procedure in the treatment of persistent subdural effusions.
D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013353:Subdural Effusion / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*