Choice of valve type and poor ventricular catheter placement: Modifiable factors associated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 95-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kealeboga Josephine Jeremiah ◽  
Catherine Louise Cherry ◽  
Kai Rui Wan ◽  
Jennifer Ah Toy ◽  
Rory Wolfe ◽  
...  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-63
Author(s):  
DM Arman ◽  
Sheikh Muhammad Ekramullah ◽  
Sudipta Kumer Mukherjee ◽  
Samantha Afreen ◽  
Md Anwarul Hoque Faraji ◽  
...  

Background: Inaccurate placement of VP shunt catheter is related to shunt failure. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of ventricular catheter placement during ventriculoperitoneal shunt operations using the freehand technique. Methodology: This prospective observational study included all patients from a single institution who underwent a ventriculoperitoneal shunt procedure in which a new ventricular catheter was placed between September 2013 and August 2016 for a period of three (03) years. Data abstracted for each patient included age, sex, diagnosis, site and side of ventricular catheter placement. Postoperative CT scan images were reviewed for accuracy of ventricular catheter placement. Results: There were 140 patients included in the study; accuracy ventricular catheter tip placement were 55 (39.28%) using freehand technique. Conclusion: Mechanical malfunction and infection are the most significant problems associated with shunts for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Journal of National Institute of Neurosciences Bangladesh, 2019;5(1): 59-63


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-21
Author(s):  
DM Arman ◽  
Sheikh Muhammad Ekramullah ◽  
Sudipta Kumer Mukherjee ◽  
Joynul Islam ◽  
Mirza Hafizur Rashid ◽  
...  

Object: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of the location of the ventricular catheter tip and function of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Methods: This prospective observational study included 140 patients from a single institution who underwent a ventriculoperitoneal shunt procedure in which a new ventricular catheter was placed between September, 2013 and September 2016. Data abstracted for each patient included age, sex, diagnosis, site and side of ventricular catheter placement. Postoperative CT scan images were reviewed for accuracy of ventricular catheter placement. Patients were followed up over 2 ½ to 4 ½ years.63 patients were available for follow up. We lost communication with rest of the patients. The relationship of the location of the ventricular catheter tip and function of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt was analyzed in 63 patients. Results: There were 140 patients included in the study; accuracy ventricular catheter tip placement were 55 (39.28%) using freehand technique. VP shunt functioned well in 43 (68.25%) of 63 patients. Among the 43 patients with well functioning shunt ,19 were in accurate group ,7 were in suboptimal group and 17 were in inaccurate group.26 patients (41.27%) had good outcome with normal development and normal IQ Conclusions: Mechanical malfunction and infection are the most significant problems associated with shunts for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Above all, a significant proportion of shunt failure was due to obstruction of the ventricular catheter, and accurate placement of the shunt catheter is highly important to reduce the incidence of shunt malfunction. Bang. J Neurosurgery 2019; 9(1): 16-21


Neurosurgery ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 1267-1269 ◽  
Author(s):  
David McAuley ◽  
Alistair C. Dick ◽  
Annie Paterson

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE Distal ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure has been associated with absorption failure secondary to previous peritonitis. This assumption has caused surgeons to seek alternate sites for distal catheter placement. We propose that the absorptive potential of the peritoneal cavity should be assessed before that site is discounted for catheter placement. CLINICAL PRESENTATION The case of a 14-month-old male patient is presented, demonstrating multiple ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement procedures and a diagnostic dilemma with respect to distal shunt placement. Peritoneography was performed to demonstrate peritoneal fluid absorption, allowing subsequent placement of a new distal shunt catheter with good clinical results. TECHNIQUE Using aseptic technique, a 24-gauge spinal needle was inserted in the midline of the abdomen and water-soluble contrast material was instilled. Delayed radiographs delineated peritoneal adhesions and demonstrated renal excretion of the contrast material, confirming peritoneal absorption. CONCLUSION The peritoneal cavity remains the site of choice for distal shunt catheter placement. If failure of peritoneal cerebrospinal fluid absorption is suspected as a cause of shunt failure, then peritoneography with water-soluble contrast material may be safely used to demonstrate the adequacy of fluid absorption before a secondary site is chosen.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Whitehead ◽  
Jay Riva-Cambrin ◽  
John C. Wellons ◽  
Abhaya V. Kulkarni ◽  
Samuel Browd ◽  
...  

Object Shunt survival may improve when ventricular catheters are placed into the frontal horn or trigone of the lateral ventricle. However, techniques for accurate catheter placement have not been developed. The authors recently reported a prospective study designed to test the accuracy of catheter placement with the assistance of intraoperative ultrasound, but the results were poor (accurate placement in 59%). A major reason for the poor accurate placement rate was catheter movement that occurred between the time of the intraoperative ultrasound image and the first postoperative scan (33% of cases). The control group of non–ultrasound using surgeons also had a low rate of accurate placement (accurate placement in 49%). The authors conducted an exploratory post hoc analysis of patients in their ultrasound study to identify factors associated with either catheter movement or poor catheter placement so that improved surgical techniques for catheter insertion could be developed. Methods The authors investigated the following risk factors for catheter movement and poor catheter placement: age, ventricular size, cortical mantle thickness, surgeon experience, surgeon experience with ultrasound prior to trial, shunt entry site, shunt hardware at entry site, ventricular catheter length, and use of an ultrasound probe guide for catheter insertion. Univariate analysis followed by multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine which factors were independent risk factors for either catheter movement or inaccurate catheter location. Results In the univariate analyses, only age < 6 months was associated with catheter movement (p = 0.021); cortical mantle thickness < 1 cm was near-significant (p = 0.066). In a multivariate model, age remained significant after adjusting for cortical mantle thickness (OR 8.35, exact 95% CI 1.20–infinity). Univariate analyses of factors associated with inaccurate catheter placement showed that age < 6 months (p = 0.001) and a posterior shunt entry site (p = 0.021) were both associated with poor catheter placement. In a multivariate model, both age < 6 months and a posterior shunt entry site were independent risk factors for poor catheter placement (OR 4.54, 95% CI 1.80–11.42, and OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.14–5.89, respectively). Conclusions Catheter movement and inaccurate catheter placement are both more likely to occur in young patients (< 6 months). Inaccurate catheter placement is also more likely to occur in cases involving a posterior shunt entry site than those involving an anterior shunt entry site. Future clinical studies aimed at improving shunt placement techniques must consider the effects of young age and choice of entry site on catheter location.


2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvis J. Hermann ◽  
Hans-Holger Capelle ◽  
Christoph A. Tschan ◽  
Joachim K. Krauss

Object Ventricular catheter shunt malfunction is the most common reason for shunt revision. Optimal ventricular catheter placement can be exceedingly difficult in patients with small ventricles or abnormal ventricular anatomy. Particularly in children and in premature infants with small head size, satisfactory positioning of the ventricular catheter can be a challenge. Navigation with electromagnetic tracking technology is an attractive and innovative therapeutic option. In this study, the authors demonstrate the advantages of using this technology for shunt placement in children. Methods Twenty-six children ranging in age from 4 days to 14 years (mean 3.8 years) with hydrocephalus and difficult ventricular anatomy or slit ventricles underwent electromagnetic-guided neuronavigated intraventricular catheter placement in a total of 29 procedures. Results The single-coil technology allows one to use flexible instruments, in this case the ventricular catheter stylet, to be tracked at the tip. Head movement during the operative procedure is possible without loss of navigation precision. The intraoperative catheter placement documented by screenshots correlated exactly with the position on the postoperative CT scan. There was no need for repeated ventricular punctures. There were no operative complications. Postoperatively, all children had accurate shunt placement. The overall shunt failure rate in our group was 15%, including 3 shunt infections (after 1 month, 5 months, and 10 months) requiring operative revision and 1 distal shunt failure. There were no proximal shunt malfunctions during follow-up (mean 23.5 months). Conclusions The electromagnetic-guided neuronavigation system enables safe and optimal catheter placement, especially in children and premature infants, alleviating the need for repeated cannulation attempts for ventricular puncture. In contrast to stereotactic techniques and conventional neuronavigation, there is no need for sharp head fixation using a Mayfield clamp. This technique may present the possibility of reducing proximal shunt failure rates and costs for hydrocephalus treatment in this age cohort.


2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. E10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Wilson ◽  
Kathleen E. McCoy ◽  
Wajd N. Al-Holou ◽  
Sergio L. Molina ◽  
Matthew D. Smyth ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to compare the accuracy of the freehand technique versus the use of intraoperative guidance (either ultrasound guidance or frameless stereotaxy) for placement of parietooccipital ventricular catheters and to determine factors associated with reduced proximal shunt failure. METHODS This retrospective cohort study included all patients from 2 institutions who underwent a ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting procedure in which a new parietooccipital ventricular catheter was placed between January 2005 and December 2013. Data abstracted for each patient included age, sex, method of ventricular catheter placement, side of ventricular catheter placement, Evans ratio, and bifrontal ventricular span. Postoperative radiographic studies were reviewed for accuracy of ventricular catheter placement. Medical records were also reviewed for evidence of shunt failure requiring revision. Standard statistical methods were used for analysis. RESULTS A total of 257 patients were included in the study: 134 from the University of Michigan and 123 from Washington University in St. Louis. Accurate ventricular catheter placement was achieved in 81.2% of cases in which intraoperative guidance was used versus 67.3% when the freehand technique was used. Increasing age reduced the likelihood of accurate catheter placement (OR 0.983, 95% CI 0.971–0.995; p = 0.005), while the use of intraoperative guidance significantly increased the likelihood (OR 2.809, 95% CI 1.406–5.618; p = 0.016). During the study period, 108 patients (42.0%) experienced shunt failure, 79 patients (30.7%) had failure involving the proximal catheter, and 53 patients (20.6%) had distal failure (valve or distal catheter). Increasing age reduced the likelihood of being free from proximal shunt failure (OR 0.983, 95% CI 0.970–0.995; p = 0.008), while both the use of intraoperative guidance (OR 2.385, 95% CI 1.227–5.032; p = 0.011), and accurate ventricular catheter placement (OR 3.424, 95% CI 1.796–6.524; p = 0.009) increased the likelihood. CONCLUSIONS The use of intraoperative guidance during parietooccipital ventricular catheter placement as part of a CSF shunt system significantly increases the likelihood of accurate catheter placement and subsequently reduces the rate of proximal shunt failure.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cody L. Nesvick ◽  
Nickalus R. Khan ◽  
Gautam U. Mehta ◽  
Paul Klimo

Abstract BACKGROUND: Ventricular shunt placement for treating hydrocephalus is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures. The rate of shunt failure, however, has not appreciably changed with time. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether intraoperative image guidance using ultrasound or stereotaxy contributes to accurate shunt catheter placement and survival. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review using PubMed and MEDLINE databases for studies that use ultrasound and frameless stereotaxy for ventricular catheter placement for hydrocephalus. All articles assessed the accuracy of catheter tip placement and/or overall shunt survival, and the rate of accurate shunt catheter placement, the overall failure rate, and the average time to shunt failure were extracted for analysis. RESULTS: Although each modality (ultrasound/stereotaxy) did not increase catheter placement accuracy, a combined random-effects meta-analysis of 738 catheters (136 guided by ultrasound, 168 guided by frameless stereotaxy, and 434 freehand) demonstrated a weak benefit of image guidance (risk ratio: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.39, P = .02), but this result was limited by considerable heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 86%, P &lt; .001 by Cochrane's Q test). A meta-analysis could not be performed for shunt survival due to heterogeneity in data reporting. CONCLUSION: Although image guidance offers a promising solution to lower the risk of inaccurate catheter placement, which could lead to lower premature failure of ventricular shunts, our review demonstrated that there is not yet a clear benefit of these technologies. Current literature is limited to case series and cohort studies, and significant between-study heterogeneity in methodology and reporting currently limits a higher order analysis.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Whitehead ◽  
Jay Riva-Cambrin ◽  
Abhaya V. Kulkarni ◽  
John C. Wellons ◽  
Curtis J. Rozzelle ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE Accurate placement of ventricular catheters may result in prolonged shunt survival, but the best target for the hole-bearing segment of the catheter has not been rigorously defined. The goal of the study was to define a target within the ventricle with the lowest risk of shunt failure. METHODS Five catheter placement variables (ventricular catheter tip location, ventricular catheter tip environment, relationship to choroid plexus, catheter tip holes within ventricle, and crosses midline) were defined, assessed for interobserver agreement, and evaluated for their effect on shunt survival in univariate and multivariate analyses. De-identified subjects from the Shunt Design Trial, the Endoscopic Shunt Insertion Trial, and a Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network study on ultrasound-guided catheter placement were combined (n = 858 subjects, all first-time shunt insertions, all patients < 18 years old). The first postoperative brain imaging study was used to determine ventricular catheter placement for each of the catheter placement variables. RESULTS Ventricular catheter tip location, environment, catheter tip holes within the ventricle, and crosses midline all achieved sufficient interobserver agreement (κ > 0.60). In the univariate survival analysis, however, only ventricular catheter tip location was useful in distinguishing a target within the ventricle with a survival advantage (frontal horn; log-rank, p = 0.0015). None of the other catheter placement variables yielded a significant survival advantage unless they were compared with catheter tips completely not in the ventricle. Cox regression analysis was performed, examining ventricular catheter tip location with age, etiology, surgeon, decade of surgery, and catheter entry site (anterior vs posterior). Only age (p < 0.001) and entry site (p = 0.005) were associated with shunt survival; ventricular catheter tip location was not (p = 0.37). Anterior entry site lowered the risk of shunt failure compared with posterior entry site by approximately one-third (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51–0.83). CONCLUSIONS This analysis failed to identify an ideal target within the ventricle for the ventricular catheter tip. Unexpectedly, the choice of an anterior versus posterior catheter entry site was more important in determining shunt survival than the location of the ventricular catheter tip within the ventricle. Entry site may represent a modifiable risk factor for shunt failure, but, due to inherent limitations in study design and previous clinical research on entry site, a randomized controlled trial is necessary before treatment recommendations can be made.


2013 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Wilson ◽  
William R. Stetler ◽  
Wajd N. Al-Holou ◽  
Stephen E. Sullivan

Object The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of 3 methods of ventricular catheter placement during CSF shunt operations: the freehand technique using surface anatomy, ultrasonic guidance, and stereotactic neuronavigation. Methods This retrospective cohort study included all patients from a single institution who underwent a ventricular CSF shunting procedure in which a new ventricular catheter was placed between January 2005 and March 2010. Data abstracted for each patient included age, sex, diagnosis, method of ventricular catheter placement, site and side of ventricular catheter placement, Evans ratio, and bifrontal ventricular span. Postoperative radiographic studies were reviewed for accuracy of ventricular catheter placement. Medical records were also reviewed for evidence of shunt failure requiring revision through December 2011. Statistical analysis was then performed comparing the 3 methods of ventricular catheter placement and to determine risk factors for inaccurate placement. Results There were 249 patients included in the study; 170 ventricular catheters were freehand passed, 51 were placed using stereotactic neuronavigation, and 28 were placed under intraoperative ultrasonic guidance. There was a statistically significant difference between freehand catheters and stereotactic-guided catheters (p < 0.001), as well as between freehand catheters and ultrasound-guided catheters (p < 0.001). The only risk factor for inaccurate placement identified in this study was use of the freehand technique. The use of stereotactic neuronavigation and ultrasonic guidance reduced proximal shunt failure rates (p < 0.05) in comparison with a freehand technique. Conclusions Stereotactic- and ultrasound-guided ventricular catheter placements are significantly more accurate than freehand placement, and the use of these intraoperative guidance techniques reduced proximal shunt failure in this study.


2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. E12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Yim ◽  
M. Reid Gooch ◽  
John C. Dalfino ◽  
Matthew A. Adamo ◽  
Tyler J. Kenning

OBJECTIVE Cerebrospinal fluid shunting can effectively lower intracranial pressure and improve the symptoms of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Placement of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts in this patient population can often be difficult due to the small size of the ventricular system. Intraoperative adjuvant techniques can be used to improve the accuracy and safety of VP shunts for these patients. The purpose of this study was to analyze the efficacy of some of these techniques, including the use of intraoperative CT (iCT) and frameless stereotaxy, in optimizing postoperative ventricular catheter placement. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective review of 49 patients undergoing initial ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement for the treatment of IIH. The use of the NeuroPEN Neuroendoscope, intraoperative neuronavigation, and iCT was examined. To analyze ventricular catheter placement on postoperative CT imaging, the authors developed a new grading system: Grade 1, catheter tip terminates optimally in the ipsilateral frontal horn or third ventricle; Grade 2, catheter tip terminates in the contralateral frontal horn; Grade 3, catheter terminates in a nontarget CSF space; and Grade 4, catheter tip terminates in brain parenchyma. All shunts had spontaneous CSF flow upon completion of the procedure. RESULTS The average body mass index among all patients was 37.6 ± 10.9 kg/m2. The NeuroPEN Neuroendoscope was used in 44 of 49 patients. Intraoperative CT scans were obtained in 24 patients, and neuronavigation was used in 32 patients. Grade 1 or 2 final postoperative shunt placement was achieved in 90% of patients (44 of 49). In terms of achieving optimal postoperative ventricular catheter placement, the use of iCT was as effective as neuronavigation. Two patients had their ventricular catheter placement modified based on an iCT study. The use of neuronavigation significantly increased time in the operating room (223.4 ± 46.5 vs 190.8 ± 31.7 minutes, p = 0.01). There were no shunt infections in this study. CONCLUSIONS The use of iCT appears to be equivalent to the use of neuronavigation in optimizing ventricular shunt placement in IIH. Additionally, it may shorten operating room time and limit overall costs.


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