[Indication and Technique of Ventriculo:Atrial Shunt for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus]

The type of shunt surgery with the best outcome and lowest complication rate has not been established. Ventriculo-atrial(V-A)shunts have almost been abandoned as the first choice of surgery. However, the V-A shunt has many advantages; the operative site is narrower than in other types of shunt surgery, and intra-atrial pressure is lower than intra-abdominal pressure, which may guarantee constant cerebrospinal fluid flow and less malfunction. Since this procedure has been neglected, devices of V-A shunt are scarce. Furthermore, the technique to insert an atrial catheter into the jugular vein is not commonly performed by general neurosurgeons. Herein, we introduce a simple method of V-A shunt for general neurosurgeons.