Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy and Pineal Biopsy from a Single Entry Point
Published on: June 28, 2024
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children younger than 1 year of age
Rodrigo Panico Gorayeb1, Sergio Cavalheiro, Samuel Tau Zymberg
1Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. rgorayeb@yahoo.com
Insights
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) shows a 64% success rate for treating obstructive hydrocephalus in infants under one year old. This minimally invasive procedure is recommended as a primary treatment option for this age group.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Minimally Invasive Neurological Procedures
- Hydrocephalus Management
Background:
- Obstructive hydrocephalus presents a significant challenge in infants.
- Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a neurosurgical technique for managing hydrocephalus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ETV in infants younger than one year with obstructive hydrocephalus.
- To determine the success rate and complication profile of ETV in this specific pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 36 patients under one year of age undergoing ETV for obstructive hydrocephalus.
- Data collected included patient demographics, hydrocephalus etiology, procedure success, complications, and follow-up duration.
Main Results:
- The study included 17 boys and 19 girls, with a mean age of 4.7 months.
- Common causes included Chiari Type II malformation and aqueductal stenosis.
- A 64% success rate was observed, with meningitis being the primary complication.
Conclusions:
- ETV demonstrates a favorable 64% success rate, supporting its role as a primary treatment for obstructive hydrocephalus in infants.
- Further large-scale studies are warranted to investigate ETV outcomes for specific etiologies of pediatric hydrocephalus.
Object:
The authors analyzed data obtained in 36 patients younger than 1 year of age who were treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) for obstructive hydrocephalus at their institution.
Methods:
There were 17 boys and 19 girls who ranged in age from 3 days to 11 months (mean 4.7 months). The causes of the hydrocephalus were Chiari Type II malformation (11 cases), aqueductal stenosis (11 cases), and other (14 cases). The success rate was 64% (p < 0.05, confidence interval 0.48-0.8) and there were four complications, mainly meningitis. The follow-up period ranged from 22 to 69 months (mean 47.4 months).
Conclusions:
Based on the 64% success rate in children younger than 1 year of age, ETV should be the treatment of choice for obstructive hydrocephalus in this age group, although larger studies involving specific causes of hydrocephalus are needed.