title: Re-ventriculostomy for treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus in cases of stoma dysfunction.
abstract: In this article, 12 re-ventriculostomies in the treatment for obstructive hydrocephalus are described. The etiology of the hydrocephalus was a benign aqueductal stenosis in 9 patients, a tumor around the aqueduct in 2 patients and intraventricular bleeding in one patient. In all cases the initial ventriculostomy was successful, but after a time interval of 2 weeks to 6 years the patients developed similar clinical symptoms as preoperatively. In all except one case the radiological findings spoke in favour of stoma closure. Intraoperatively the stoma was completely closed in 9 patients and in 3 patients a subtotal closure was observed. In all cases a re-ventriculostomy was performed bluntly with a Fogarty catheter in loco typico at the floor of the third ventricle. Of the 12 patients 6 had an excellent outcome postoperatively, one patient improved and one had a benefit from the re-ventriculostomy although he died of cardiac problems. In the remaining 4 patients the re-ventriculostomy was not successful and the patients needed a shunt operation. In conclusion, after initially successful endoscopic third ventriculostomy, re-ventriculostomy should be considered as a sufficient treatment option in case of suspected stoma dysfunction.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D054047:Surgical Stomas / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014696:Ventriculostomy; D014743:Videotape Recording