title: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy for hydrocephalus in brainstem glioma: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A brainstem glioma is an incurable brain tumor that can be complicated by hydrocephalus. A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is generally performed for the control of hydrocephalus. This study aimed to reveal the safety and efficacy of an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) for hydrocephalus in brainstem gliomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six patients who had pontine glioma with hydrocephalus underwent an ETV between May 2010 and November 2015. In all the cases, there were one or more symptoms of hydrocephalus (headache, nausea, vomiting, or lethargy). Retrospective review of these patients was performed using the medical records and neuroimagings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ETV was performed safely and there were no intraoperative complications in all patients. The mean follow-up period was 12.3 months. An immediate symptomatic relief of hydrocephalus and an adequate control of symptoms were achieved without a VP shunt in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ETV is considered to be an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of hydrocephalus in brainstem gliomas. Determining the ventriculostomy site according to the preoperative MRI in each case is considered to be important for the safe procedure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, National Center for Child Health and Development, Okura 2-10-1, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, National Center for Child Health and Development, Okura 2-10-1, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan. hideki_o@d5.dion.ne.jp.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogiwara
mesh_terms: D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020542:Third Ventricle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Brainstem glioma; ETV; Endoscopic third ventriculostomy; Hydrocephalus