The Seldinger technique for ventricular catheter exchange: a technical note.
BACKGROUND
Previously, the Seldinger technique has been used for insertion of difficult-to-place vascular catheters. The authors describe the use of this technique in exchanging difficult-to-place ventricular catheters in a child with multiloculated hydrocephalus and ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection.


METHODS
A thin, flexible, hydrophilic catheter (Radifocus Glidewire, Terumo Medical, NJ, USA) was truncated to 35 cm, and the angled tip was transected. This modified wire was then used to cannulate two existing ventricular catheters. Each catheter was exchanged for a ventriculostomy over the glidewire. No complications were observed.


RESULTS
Catheter placement was identical to preoperative location on postoperative imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors believe that the modified Seldinger technique may be of use in selected cases of ventricular catheter exchange. With the increase use of endoscopy to place intracranial catheters, holes in intracranial catheters are more common and, thus, the Seldinger technique may increase in its usage.
Bauer
David F
DF
Division of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Tubbs
R Shane
RS
Acakpo-Satchivi
Leslie
L
D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000379:methods*; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods