Success rate of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in infants below six months of age with congenital obstructive hydrocephalus (a preliminary study of eight cases)

AIM: In this study, we were assessing the outcome of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) in infants below six months of age in cases of congenital obstructive hydrocephalus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was done prospectively on eight cases of obstructive hydrocephalus in infants younger than six months of age to assess the success rate of ETV as a primary treatment for hydrocephalus in this age group; in cases of evident failure, a ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt was applied. RESULTS: Despite eliminating the factors suggested as causes of ETV failure in infants below six months; the type, as with the communicating hydrocephalus, the thickness of the third ventricular floor, history of previous intracranial hemorrhage or central nervous system infection, still the success rate did not exceed 12.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The complication rate following ETV was low in comparison to the high frequency (20–80%) and seriousness of the possible postoperative complications following VP shunt with a significant decrease in the quality of patients’ lives. Hence the decision-making as well as the parental counselling were in a trial to estimate the ETV success or the need to perform a shunt in the treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus.