A long-term ventricular drainage for patients with germ cell tumors or medulloblastoma.
BACKGROUND
Hydrocephalus associated with intracranial germ cell tumors or disseminated medulloblastoma has been treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt. However, this procedure has a potential risk of intraperitoneal metastasis of these brain tumors. To prevent this potential risk and to minimize the risk of infection, we developed a percutaneous long-tunneled ventricular drainage (PLTVD). To confirm the effectiveness, we retrospectively analyzed the results of this procedure.


METHODS
From 1979 to 2003, we have treated 96 patients with germ cell tumors and medulloblastoma in our hospital. Of 96 patients, 59 (germ cell tumor, 31; medulloblastoma, 28) had hydrocephalus and 13 needed long-term cerebrospinal fluid drainage to manage the obstructive hydrocephalus due to persistent tumor or communicating hydrocephalus due to dissemination. We performed PLTVD for these cases using a flow-controlled shunt device and percutaneous long-tunneled shunt tube (peritoneal catheter) exiting at the upper abdomen and connecting to a closed drainage system. The occurrence of extraneural metastasis and the incidence of infection were evaluated.


RESULTS
The average duration of drainage was 74 days (range, 34-115 days). All 13 cases received full-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy without infectious complications or extraneural metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Percutaneous long-tunneled ventricular drainage was an effective method to manage long-lasting obstructive or communicating hydrocephalus with germ cell tumors and medulloblastoma.
Matsumoto
Jun
J
Department of Neurosurgery, Kumamoto University School of Medicine, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan. 034r5157@med.stud.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
Kochi
Masato
M
Morioka
Motohiro
M
Nakamura
Hideo
H
Makino
Keishi
K
Hamada
Jun-Ichiro
J
Kuratsu
Jun-Ichi
J
Ushio
Yukitaka
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000706:statistics & numerical data