Comparative study of two customary cerebrospinal fluid shunting systems in early childhood hydrocephalus.
The validity of clinical studies on shunt-treated hydrocephalic patients is often hindered by inhomogeneity of the patient population examined, technical devices used, or by other specific factors. In an effort to introduce a homogeneous clinical study on hydrocephalic patients 66 hydrocephalic newborns and infants have been treated exclusively with CORDIS Orbis-Sigma Valve (OSV) System (CORDIS Corporation, Miami, USA) in 1990-1995. The results are compared with an equivalent group of 53 children treated with CODMAN Holter Valve (HV) System (CODMAN Inc., Randolph, USA) during a similar 5-year-period (e.g., 1986-1991). Searching for different reasons of shunt insufficiency in both groups demonstrates a more than double risk of shunt complication for ventriculo-atrial HV treated patients (VA-HV) in comparison with those treated ventriculo-peritoneally with OSV System (VP-OSV): 4.22 versus 1.98 mean surgical procedures per person. The different revision and survival rates are discussed and specific problems are mentioned.
Smely
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C
Neurochirurgische Universitätsklinik, Neurozentrum, Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Van Velthoven
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V
D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications