Cause and treatment of intracranial hypertension after sylvian cystoperitoneal shunting

Abstract

To analyze the cause and treatment of intracranial hypertension after sylvian cystoperitoneal shunting. Sixteen cases were retrospectively reviewed. There were 10 males and 6 females. The age range was 2-19 years old (mean: 9.94). All patients had a sylvian cystoperitoneal shunt via a common low-pressure tube. The onset time of intracranial hypertension after cystoperitoneal shunting was 3 months to 7 years (mean: 3.20 yr). Three cases underwent the operation of adjusting intracranial location of shunt tube. The original tube was removed in 12 cases. Among them, 10 cases were operated by lateral ventricle-peritoneal shunt. The other two and two cases with a remaining tube were treated successfully with dehydration drugs. The cause of intracranial hypertension is probably due to tube blockage or less draining after the shrinking or disappearance of arachnoid cyst. Adjusting the location of intracranial tube or performing a lateral ventricle-peritoneal shunt has an excellent efficacy if a dehydration therapy is unresponsive or auto-compensation fails.