Long-tunnelled external ventricular drain as a long-term treatment option for hydrocephalus in a child with an unresectable low-grade supratentorial tumor: case report.
The authors report a case of a child with hypothalamic-origin pilocytic astrocytoma and hydrocephalus, which was refractory to treatment with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt due to high CSF protein content. With parental education, the child's hydrocephalus was managed long-term in the community with a long-tunnelled external ventricular drain, which was maintained by his parents. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of this management option as a long-term measure. No harm has come to the patient. The authors propose long-term, long-tunnelled external ventricular drain as a viable treatment option for such patients.
Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
John A
JA
Emelifeonwu
Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Drahoslav
D
Sokol
Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Pasquale
P
Gallo
Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Jothy
J
Kandasamy
Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Chandrasekaran
C
Kaliaperumal
D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D007029:Hypothalamic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors
EVD = external ventricular drain; ICP = intracranial pressure; LTEVD = long-tunnelled EVD; RHSC = Royal Hospital for Sick Children; VP = ventriculoperitoneal; hydrocephalus; long-tunnelled external ventricular drain; parental education; pilocytic astrocytoma