Frameless Stereotactic Ommaya Reservoir Placement: Efficacy and Complication Comparison with Frame-Based Technique

Ommaya reservoirs are ventricular access devices used primarily for the administration of intrathecal antineoplastic chemotherapy. In patients with low or normal ventricular volume, stereotaxy can improve accuracy of catheter placement with minimal morbidity. Frameless stereotaxy has become an increasingly popular alternative to frame-based stereotaxy. Relative rates of successful catheter placement between these two techniques are not described in the literature.

To compare a large series of frameless to frame-based stereotactic catheter placements for Ommaya reservoirs, with an aim to compare accuracy and complication rate between the two procedures.

A consecutive series of 41 frame-based and 68 frameless Ommaya reservoir placement procedures performed at our institution from 1998 to 2013 was reviewed. Patient demographics, operative accuracy and complication rates for the two techniques were compared.

Characteristics of the two groups were similar in diagnoses, age and other related factors. Comparison of frameless to frame-based stereotactic Ommaya catheter placement did not show significant differences in accuracy of placement, overall morbidity or mortality, or in any subcategory of complications.

These findings suggest that frameless stereotactic Ommaya reservoir placement is as safe and accurate as the frame-based technique.