Preoperative endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children with posterior fossa tumors: an institution experience

AIM To assess the effectiveness and safety of pre-resection endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in permanently relieving hydrocephalus in children with posterior fossa tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS 17 pediatric patients with posterior fossa tumors and associated triventricular obstructive hydrocephalus underwent ETV before definitive tumor resection, and ETV was repeated after tumor resection if hydrocephalus with increased intracranial pressure persisted or recurred. The medical records, operative notes and imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS 18 ETV procedures were performed in 17 patients, consisting of 11 males and 6 females, age range (1.5 to 13 years; mean 6±3.86). Follow-up periods ranged from 6 to 23 months (mean follow-up 13.9±5.4 months). ETV was successful in relieving hydrocephalus during the follow-up period in 15 out of 17 patients (88.2%). Prior to surgical excision of the posterior fossa tumors, no failures of ETV were detected and all of the 17 patients showed marked clinical improvement and radiological disappearance of signs of active hydrocephalus. CONCLUSION Preoperative ETV is a highly effective long-term CSF diversion procedure for treatment of hydrocephalus associated with posterior fossa tumors in children. In experienced hands, ETV has a very low complication rate.