Abstract
ObjectivesDue to increased number of patients suffering from hydrocephalus (HCP) and lack of data concerning volumetric changes after shunting operations, this study aims to assess the volumetric changes in brain ventricles after successful ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt surgery in correlation with clinical improvement.Patient and methodsThis study included 20 patients; all of them are below the age of 2 years. All the patients had hydrocephalus, were treated surgically with VP shunts, and have clinically improved over the period of study. We measured the volumetric changes radiologically using the fronto-occipital horn ratio (FOHR) over a period of 6 months postoperatively.ResultsThe frontal and occipital horn ratio was calculated in all these patients both pre and postoperatively. There was a significant radiological improvement in the majority of children after the shunt operation. One month postoperatively, the FOHR decreased to about 85% of its preoperative value in average. The FOHR was found to be significantly improving with time over a period of 6 months reaching 63% of its preoperative value.ConclusionSuccessful treatment of HCP in infants via VPS seems to be of benefit in decreasing the ventricular size gradually to a near normal FOHR with clinical improvement.
Highlights
Hydrocephalus is a common brain disorder especially in low- and middle-income countries (123 per 100,000 births) that results from discrepancy between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and absorption, with subsequent accumulation of fluid in the cranial cavity and enlargement of ventricles [1, 2].Infants and children presented with manifest radiological hydrocephalic changes would require a CSF shunting procedure which remains the treatment of choice for most children, despite the dissatisfaction with its long-term outcome [3,4,5,6].CSF diversion in hydrocephalic children reduces the volume of the ventricles with subsequent improvementMeasurement of ventricular size is important in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus
The fronto-occipital horn ratio (FOHR) was found to be significantly improving with time over a period of 6 months reaching 63% of its preoperative value
Successful treatment of HCP in infants via ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) seems to be of benefit in decreasing the ventricular size gradually to a near normal FOHR with clinical improvement
Summary
Hydrocephalus is a common brain disorder especially in low- and middle-income countries (123 per 100,000 births) that results from discrepancy between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and absorption, with subsequent accumulation of fluid in the cranial cavity and enlargement of ventricles [1, 2].Infants and children presented with manifest radiological hydrocephalic changes would require a CSF shunting procedure which remains the treatment of choice for most children, despite the dissatisfaction with its long-term outcome [3,4,5,6].CSF diversion in hydrocephalic children reduces the volume of the ventricles with subsequent improvementMeasurement of ventricular size is important in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus. Infants and children presented with manifest radiological hydrocephalic changes would require a CSF shunting procedure which remains the treatment of choice for most children, despite the dissatisfaction with its long-term outcome [3,4,5,6]. CSF diversion in hydrocephalic children reduces the volume of the ventricles with subsequent improvement. Measurement of ventricular size is important in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus. Those followed up with CSF shunts, ventricular volume measurement was reported in adults’ and infants’ hydrocephalus; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was frequently used in addition to computed tomography (CT) for this purpose [11,12,13,14,15]. Assessment of different CSF diversion surgeries was performed by ventricular volume change analysis; the pressure of shunts used were further
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
