title: Technique, indications, and complications of percutaneous needle puncture.
abstract: One hundred and forty-five percutaneous needle punctures (PNP) of the brain and ventricles in 100 consecutive patients were retrospectively re-evaluated. This was to elucidate technical problems and complications of this method, which presents an alternative to the classical burr hole trephination with the insertion of a catheter. In 61% percutaneous needle trephinations (PNT) were performed, in 27% a pre-existing burr hole was used, and in 12% the open fontanelle. The method proved to be simple and effective, especially in emergency cases, and it had a very low rate of serious complications with 1.4% infections and 0.7% symptomatic bleedings, which had no permanent consequences.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik Freiburg, Neurochirurgische Abteilung.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gilsbach
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zentner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernsdorff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014207:Trephining / Q000295:instrumentation*