Hamartoma ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; Hypothalamic Diseases ; complications ; surgery ; Infant ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Puberty, Precocious ; etiology ; Subdural Effusion ; etiology

Shunt malfunctions that require surgical intervention during pregnancy and the postpartum period are rare. Furthermore, no study has reported on an acute shunt malfunction immediately after cesarean section. Here, we describe the case of a 32-yr-old woman who became drowsy 12 hr after cesarean section delivery of her second child. She had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed to treat hydrocephalus associated with meningitis at 26 yr of age. Marked ventriculomegaly was seen on brain computed tomography and her consciousness recovered temporarily after aspirating cerebrospinal fluid from the flushing device. At surgery, the distal catheter tip was plugged by a blood clot. We believe that the blood spilled over during the cesarean section. The clogged catheter end was simply cut off and the remaining catheter was repositioned in the peritoneal cavity. Her consciousness recovered fully.
Adult ; *Cesarean Section ; *Equipment Failure ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus/etiology/surgery ; Meningitis/complications ; Pregnancy ; *Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt/adverse effects/instrumentation

The authors analyzed 174 consecutive shunting procedures for hydrocephalus at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University. There were a total of 65 complications (48.5%) among 134 patients. The most common complications were blockage of the catheters (26.2%) and shunt-related infections (15.4%). Among the different types of shunting technique ventriculoatrial, ventriculoperitoneal and ventriculocisternal routes were most commonly used. The ventriculoatrial route had a greater complication rate (40%) than ventriculoperitoneal shunting (21.8%). Flushing devices are critically reviewed and the disadvantages are discussed. The authors suggested a need for a standardized prospective national data collection system where Procedures and compilations may be assembled in a comparable form.
Bacterial Infections/etiology ; Catheterization/adverse effects ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts*/adverse effects ; Female ; Human ; Hydrocephalus/surgery* ; Infant ; Male

Recently, it was reported that fenestration of the lamina terminalis (LT) may reduce the incidence of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The authors investigated the efficacy of the LT opening on the incidence of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus in the ruptured anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysms. The data of 71-ruptured ACoA aneurysm patients who underwent aneurysmal clipping in acute stage were reviewed retrospectively. Group I (n=36) included the patients with microsurgical fenestration of LT during surgery, Group II (n=35) consisted of patients in whom fenestration of LT was not feasible. The rate of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus was compared between two groups by logistic regression to control for confounding factors. Ventriculo-peritoneal shunts were performed after aneurysmal obliteration in 18 patients (25.4%). The conversion rates from acute hydrocephalus on admission to chronic hydrocephalus in each group were 29.6% (Group I) and 58.8% (Group II), respectively. However, there was no significant correlation between the microsurgical fenestration and the rate of occurrence of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus (p>0.05). Surgeons should carefully decide the concomitant use of LT fenestration during surgery for the ruptured ACoA aneurysms because of the microsurgical fenestration of LT can play a negative role in reducing the incidence of chronic hydrocephalus.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus/etiology/*prevention & control ; Hypothalamus/surgery ; Intracranial Aneurysm/complications/*surgery ; Male ; Microsurgery/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/etiology/*surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt/*methods

Background: Decision-making concerning the treatment of choroid plexus tumor (CPT) in pediatric patients remains a topic of considerable debate. The aim of this work was to describe clinical features and prognostic risk factors of CPT in the pediatric population and to provide theoretical opinions regarding clinical decisions for CPT. Methods: The data of 96 patients with CPT and younger than 14 years were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical characteristics such as pathological type of CPTs, rate and severity of hydrocephalus, treatment and outcome, and recurrence were investigated. For categorical variables, the Pearson's Chi-square test was performed. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for comparisons between nonnormally distributed parameters. Log-rank test was used for progression-free survival (PFS). Results: The study included 70 choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) cases, 17 atypical choroid plexus papilloma (aCPP) cases, and 9 choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) cases. Compared with patients with CPP or aCPP, patients with CPC had a shorter disease course (median: CPP, 4 months; aCPP, 2 months; CPC, 1 month; H: 23.5, P < 0.001), higher rate of acute hydrocephalus (CPP, 27.1%; aCPP, 52.9%; CPC, 77.8%; χ = 10.9, P < 0.05), and lower incidence of cure rate (CPP, 85.7%; aCPP, 70.5%; CPC, 33.3%; χ = 13.5, P < 0.05). The severity of hydrocephalus with tumor in the lateral or third ventricle was significantly higher than that with tumors in the fourth ventricle (severe hydrocephalus: lateral ventricle, 51.7%; third ventricle, 47.0%; fourth ventricle, 11.1%; χ = 26.0, P < 0.001). Patients with gross total surgical resection had no better PFS than those with partial resection because of the use of adjuvant therapy in the latter (χ = 4.0, P > 0.05). Patients with CPC experienced shorter time for recurrence than those with CPP or aCPP (χ = 40.1, P < 0.0001). Conclusions Our results indicated that CPP in the fourth ventricle could trigger serious clinical symptoms at an early stage, requiring early intervention. Adjuvant treatment might be necessary for patients with partially resected CPP, aCPP, and CPC to achieve a favorable outcome.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Choroid Plexus Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; Infant ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the management of obstructive hydrocephalus caused by posterior fossa tumors before tumor resection in children.

METHODSThe clinical data were reviewed of 162 pediatric patients of posterior fossa tumors with obstructive hydrocephalus undergoing surgical tumor removal between January 2008 and June 2012. Ninety children received preoperative Ommaya external drainage (group A) and 72 underwent preoperative ventriculo-peritoneal shunting (V-Ps) (group B). The therapeutic effects were evaluated and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSPostoperative complications found in a total of 67 cases including infection (27), shunt blockage (19), subdural hematoma or effusion (16), ventricle fissure syndrome (5), and tumor hernia (4). Significant differences were found in the incidences of shunt blockage (P=0.047) and subdural hematoma or effusion (P=0.039) but not in the incidences of intracranial infection (P=0.478) or tumor hernia (P=0.462) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONOmmaya reservoir can produce good results through simple surgical procedures for treatment of acute hydrocephalus in children with posterior fossa tumors and is associated less trauma and complications.

Adolescent ; Astrocytoma ; complications ; surgery ; Brain Diseases ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drainage ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Hematoma, Subdural ; etiology ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; surgery ; Infant ; Infection ; etiology ; Infratentorial Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Male ; Medulloblastoma ; complications ; surgery ; Preoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate risk factors for the occurrence of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

METHODSA cohort of 136 consecutive patients who were treated for ruptured aneurysms within 72 h after onset of aSAH from January 2011 to January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Lumbar drainage was performed during the surgery in all patients. The risk factors of shunt-dependent hydrocephalus were analyzed.

RESULTSOf 136 patients, 23 (16.91%) underwent shunt operation to treat shunt-dependent hydrocephalus. Univariate analysis showed that Hunt-Hess grade at admission (P<0.01), Fisher grade (P<0.01), the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (P<0.01), location of ruptured aneurysm (P=0.001), and the average daily volume of cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSF) (P=0.047) were associated with shunt-dependent hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSIONThe aSAH patients with poor Hunt-Hess grade at admission, high Fisher grade, the presence of intraventricular hemorrhage, ruptured aneurysm in posterior circulation, and abnormal average daily volume of CSF are more likely to develop shunt-depended hydrocephalus.

Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; complications ; Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; etiology ; surgery

The major aims of this study were to estimate the infection rate and recognize the risk factor for ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt infections in children. To analyze shunt infection rate and identify risk factors, a retrospective cohort analysis of 333 consecutive VP shunt series was performed at Seoul National University Children's Hospital in Korea between January 2005 and February 2011. Overall, 35 shunts (10.5%) were infected, which represented an infection rate of 0.075 infection cases per shunt per year. VP shunt infection occurred at a median of 1 month (range, 6 days to 8 months) after insertion. An independent risk factor for shunt infection was undergoing an operation before the first year of life (relative risk 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-4.48). The most common causative microorganism was coagulase-negative staphylococci in 16 (45.7%) followed by Staphylococcus aureus in 8 (22.9%). Methicillin resistance rate was 83.3% among coagulase-negative staphylococci and S. aureus. In this study, cerebrospinal fluid shunt infection rate was 10.5%. Infection was frequently caused by methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci and S. aureus within two months after shunt surgery. Vancomycin may be considered as the preoperative prophylaxis for shunt surgery in a situation where methicillin resistance rate is very high.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Bacterial Infections/drug therapy/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus/surgery ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/isolation & purification ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Staphylococcus/isolation & purification ; Surgical Wound Infection/drug therapy/*epidemiology/etiology ; Vancomycin/therapeutic use ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt/*adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo review the clinical manifestations, imaging, tumor markers, treatment methods, pathology results and clinical curative effects of pineal region tumors and to evaluate the characteristics and intervention strategies for those tumors.

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 132 patients with pineal region tumor treated in our department between January 2000 and May 2008 were retrospectively studied.

RESULTSA moderate predominance in males was presented. The clinical manifestations of the disease included increased intracranial pressure and ocular movement impairment. There were some features but no regularity and specific appearance on imaging including CT and MRI. 88.6% of patients associated with hydrocephalus. A high serum level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was presented in 14 cases and high HCG in 9 cases. Eighteen cases received direct radiation therapy and 7 had radiotherapy post biopsy. 107 cases were treated surgically and 63 cases received postoperative adjuvant treatment. 114 cases had pathology results including 56 germ cell tumors. The patients were followed up for 12 approximately 132 months. Recurrence developed in 23 cases and 12 cases died. The 5-year survival rate was 89.3%.

CONCLUSIONPineal region tumors are often associated with hydrocephalus and this makes preoperative diagnosis difficult. Imaging examination may help diagnosis but less specific. Germ cell tumors may diagnosed by some tumor markers. Radiation therapy is the choice of treatment for pure germinomas. Other types of pineal region tumors should receive surgical treatment. Postoperative adjuvant treatment based on pathology can provide a good prognosis in pineal region tumor.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; blood ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pineal Gland ; pathology ; surgery ; Pinealoma ; blood ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism