[Placement of a ventricular catheter into narrow lateral ventricles. Popular navigation]

Placement of a ventricular catheter is the most common and easiest procedure in neurosurgery. Usually, the procedure is performed using anatomical landmarks. However, despite the apparent ease of this manipulation, its results are not always satisfactory. According to the literature data, the rate of improperly placed ventricular catheters amounts to 10-40%, which is directly correlated with the risk of shunt dysfunction. The use of special equipment, such as ultrasound scanners, endoscopes, stereotactic devices, and neuronavigation systems, significantly increases success of surgery. However, the high cost and complexity of equipment confine its use at neurosurgical centers, and increased surgery time limits routine use of the equipment. A Thomale guide provides the accuracy comparable to that of modern navigation systems and, at the same time, is a cheap and easy-to-use device.

To determine capabilities and master a technique of using the Thomale guide during placement of ventricular catheters.

Twenty seven surgeries wich Thomale guide were performed at the Rogachev Federal Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Immunology in the period from April 2015 to November 2016. The Ommaya reservoir was placed in 23 cases; there were 2 ventriculoperitoneal shunting procedures; external ventricular drainage was placed in 2 cases. In 19 cases, the catheter was placed into narrow lateral ventricles.

In all 27 cases, the ventricular catheter was successfully placed, at the first attempt, into the anterior horn of the lateral ventricle.

The Thomale guide is a simple but reliable device for accurate and quick placement of a ventricular catheter into the lateral ventricles, regardless of their size.