Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy

Abstract

Attempts to surgically bypass the aqueductal obstruction in noncommunicating hydrocephalus began in the 1920s. In the modern era, Dandy was the first to create a direct communication between the third ventricle and chiasmatic cistern by opening the lamina terminalis using a subfrontal approach [43], or between the third ventricle and the interpeduncular cistern through the floor of the third ventricle using a subtemporal approach [44], [45]. His early subfrontal approach was rapidly abandoned, and only Voris reported some experience using the subtemporal approach [192]. Stookey and Scarff [177] modified the subfrontal approach, opening the lamina terminalis, entering the third ventricle, and then perforating the floor of the third ventricle into the interpeduncular cistern [130], [144]. Others proposed limiting the procedure to the opening of the lamina terminalis, and obtained comparable results [196].