title: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy for obstructive hydrocephalus.
abstract: The indications for neuroendoscopy are not only constantly increasing, but even the currently accepted indications are constantly being adjusted and tailored. This is also true for one of the most frequently used neuroendoscopic procedures, the endoscopic 3rd ventriculostomy (ETV) for obstructive hydrocephalus. ETV has gained popularity and widespread acceptance during the past few years, but little attention has been paid to the techniques of the procedure. After a short introduction describing the history of ETV, an overview is given of all the different techniques that have been and still are employed to open the floor of the 3rd ventricle. The spectrum of indications for ETV has been widely enlarged over the last years. Initially, the use of this procedure was restricted to patients older than 2 years, to patients with an obvious triventricular hydrocephalus, and to those with a bulging, translucent floor of the 3rd ventricle. Nowadays, indications include all kinds of obstructive hydrocephalus but also communicating forms of hydrocephalus. The results of endoscopic procedures in treating these pathologies are given under special consideration of shunt technologies. In summary, from the review of the publications since the first ETV performed by Mixter in 1923, this technique is the treatment of choice for obstructive hydrocephalus caused by different etiologies and is an alternative to cerebrospinal fluid shunt application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35033, Marburg, Germany. hellwigd@med.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hellwig
authors.forename: Joachim Andreas
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Grotenhuis
authors.forename: Wuttipong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tirakotai
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riegel
authors.forename: Dirk Michael
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: Bernhard Ludwig
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bertalanffy
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D044583:Neuroendoscopy; D018579:Patient Selection; D020542:Third Ventricle / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000379:methods*