title: Pediatric hydrocephalus: systematic literature review and evidence-based guidelines. Part 10: Change in ventricle size as a measurement of effective treatment of hydrocephalus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this systematic review is to answer the following question: Does ventricle size after treatment have a predictive value in determining the effectiveness of surgical intervention in pediatric hydrocephalus?
  
  
  METHODS
  The US National Library of Medicine PubMed/MEDLINE database and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched using MeSH headings and key words relevant to change in ventricle size after surgical intervention for hydrocephalus in children. An evidentiary table was assembled summarizing the studies and the quality of evidence (Classes I-III).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six articles satisfied inclusion criteria for the evidentiary tables for this part of the guidelines. All were Class III retrospective studies. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIon: There is insufficient evidence to recommend a specific change in ventricle size as a measurement of the effective treatment of hydrocephalus and as a measurement of the timing and effectiveness of treatments including ventriculoperitoneal shunts and third ventriculostomies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III, unclear clinical certainty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois|2Advocate Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn, Illinois;
authors.forename: Dimitrios C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Nikas
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurological Surgery, Department of Neurosciences and Pediatrics, Goryeb Children's Hospital-Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey
authors.forename: Alexander F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Post
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Ophthalmology, and Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center|5Le Bonheur Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee;
authors.forename: Asim F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Choudhri
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurological Surgery, Goryeb Children's Hospital, Morristown, New Jersey
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.affiliation: Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Schaumburg, Illinois
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Flannery
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020542:Third Ventricle / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt; D014696:Ventriculostomy
keywords: AANS = American Association of Neurological Surgeons; CNS = Congress of Neurological Surgeons; CPC = choroid plexus cauterization; ETV = endoscopic third ventriculostomy; FOR = frontal and occipital horn ratio; VP = ventriculoperitoneal; evidence-based guidelines; hydrocephalus; practice guidelines; ventricle size