Related Experiment Videos
Normal pressure hydrocephalus: did publications alter management?
1Department of Neurology, St Lucasziekenhuis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|July 1, 1990
Summary
Clinical value of research on normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is limited. Most clinicians use basic tests, citing invasiveness and complexity of other methods, despite numerous publications.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a neurological condition.
- Research articles on NPH are abundant.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical utility of research articles on NPH.
- To assess the gap between NPH research and clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 46 Dutch neurologists and neurosurgeons.
- Interviews to gauge perceptions of NPH diagnostic techniques.
Main Results:
- Clinicians primarily use psychometry, CSF-tap tests, and cisternography.
- Barriers to adopting other techniques include invasiveness, complexity, and cost.
- Doubt exists regarding the added predictive value of advanced NPH diagnostic methods.
Conclusions:
- There is a significant disconnect between the volume of NPH research and its practical application in patient selection.
- Current diagnostic practices for NPH may not fully leverage available research findings.
- Further research is needed to bridge the gap and improve clinical decision-making for NPH shunt procedures.