The role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in the management of hydrocephalus associated with cerebellopontine angle tumours.
BACKGROUND
Progressive hydrocephalus secondary to cerebellopontine angle tumours has been traditionally managed with ventriculo-peritoneal shunting. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy provides an alternative treatment option and the success rate in this patient group has not previously been reported.


METHODS
We report a retrospective series of 11 patients with cerebello-pontine angle tumours who presented with symptomatic hydrocephalus, or developed hydrocephalus following radiosurgery, who underwent endoscopic third ventriculostomy.


RESULTS
Seven patients (63.6%) remain shunt free. There were no complications following endoscopy in any patient. Where the ventriculostomy failed there was no additional morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy is a low morbidity procedure, which avoids the inherent problems of shunts, particularly infection and should be considered for patients with hydrocephalus and cerebello-pontine angle tumours.
Hayhurst
C
C
The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool, UK. carolinehayhurst@hotmail.com
Javadpour
M
M
O'Brien
D F
DF
Mallucci
C L
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020542:Third Ventricle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000379:methods*