Comparison of the accuracy of ventricular catheter placement using freehand placement, ultrasonic guidance, and stereotactic neuronavigation

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 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.


Author(s):  
Philip V. Theodosopoulos ◽  
Aviva Abosch ◽  
Michael W. McDermott

ABSTRACT:Objective:Ventricular catheter placement is a common neurosurgical procedure often resulting in inaccurate intraventricular positioning. We conducted a comparison of the accuracy of endoscopic and conventional ventricular catheter placement in adults.Methods:A retrospective analysis of data was performed on 37 consecutive patients undergoing ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VPS) insertion with endoscopy and 40 randomly selected, unmatched patients undergoing VPS insertion without endoscopy, for the treatment of hydrocephalus of varied etiology. A grading system for catheter tip position was developed consisting of five intraventricular zones, V1-V5, and three intraparenchymal zones, A, B, C. Zones V1 for the frontal approaches and V1 or V2 for the occipital approaches were the optimal catheter tip locations. Postoperative scans of each patient were used to grade the accuracy of ventricular catheter placement.Results:Seventy-six percent of all endoscopic ventricular catheters were in zone V1 and 100% were within zones V1-V3. No endoscopically inserted catheters were observed in zones V4, V5 or intraparenchymally. Thirty-eight percent of the conventionally placed catheters were in zone V1, 53% in zones V1-3 and 15% intraparenchymally. There was a statistically significant difference in the percentage of catheters in optimal location versus in any other location, favoring endoscopic guidance (p<0.001).Conclusion:We conclude that endoscopic ventricular catheter placement provides improved positioning accuracy than conventional techniques.


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


2016 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 95-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kealeboga Josephine Jeremiah ◽  
Catherine Louise Cherry ◽  
Kai Rui Wan ◽  
Jennifer Ah Toy ◽  
Rory Wolfe ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 463-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin C. Warf ◽  
Salman Bhai ◽  
Abhaya V. Kulkarni ◽  
John Mugamba

Object It is not known whether previous endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) affects the risk of shunt failure. Different epochs of hydrocephalus treatment at the CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda (CCHU)—initially placing CSF shunts in all patients, then attempting ETV in all patients, and finally attempting ETV combined with choroid plexus cauterization (CPC) in all patients—provided the opportunity to assess whether prior endoscopic surgery affected shunt survival. Methods With appropriate institutional approvals, the authors reviewed the CCHU clinical database to identify 2329 patients treated for hydrocephalus from December 2000 to May 2007. Initial ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement was performed in 900 patients under one of three circumstances: 1) primary nonselective VP shunt placement with no endoscopy (255 patients); 2) VP shunt placement at the time of abandoned ETV attempt (with or without CPC) (370 patients); 3) VP shunt placement subsequent to a completed but failed ETV (with or without CPC) (275 patients). We analyzed time to shunt failure using the Kaplan-Meier method to construct survival curves, Cox proportional hazards regression modeling, and risk-adjusted analyses to account for possible confounding differences among these groups. Results Shunt failure occurred in 299 patients, and the mean duration of follow-up for the remaining 601 was 28.7 months (median 18.8, interquartile range 4.1–46.3). There was no significant difference in operative mortality (p = 0.07 by log-rank and p = 0.14 by Cox regression adjusted for age and hydrocephalus etiology) or shunt infection (p = 0.94, log-rank) among the 3 groups. There was no difference in shunt survival between patients treated with primary shunt placement and those who underwent shunt placement at the time of an abandoned ETV attempt (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.14, 95% CI 0.86–1.51, p = 0.35). Those who underwent shunt placement after a completed but failed ETV (with or without CPC) had a lower risk of shunt failure (p = 0.008, log-rank), with a hazard ratio (adjusted for age at shunting and etiology) of 0.72 (95% CI 0.53–0.98), p = 0.03, compared with those who underwent primary shunt placement without endoscopy; but this was observed only in patients with postinfectious hydrocephalus (PIH) (adjusted HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36–0.85, p = 0.007), and no effect was apparent for hydrocephalus of noninfectious etiologies (adjusted HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.64–1.50, p = 0.92). Improved shunt survival after failed ETV in the PIH group may be an artifact of selection arising from the inherent heterogeneity of ventricular damage within that group, or a consequence of the timing of shunt placement. The anticipated benefit of CPC in preventing future ventricular catheter obstruction was not observed. Conclusions A paradigm for infant hydrocephalus involving intention to treat by ETV with or without CPC had no adverse effect on mortality or on subsequent shunt survival or infection risk. This study failed to demonstrate a positive effect of prior ETV or CPC on shunt survival.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 647-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeki Yamada ◽  
Masatsune Ishikawa ◽  
Kazuo Yamamoto

Abstract BACKGROUND Freehand ventricular catheter placement has been reported to have poor accuracy. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether preoperative computational simulation using diagnostic images improves the accuracy of ventricular catheter placement. METHODS This study included 113 consecutive patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting via a parieto-occipital approach. The locations of the ventricular catheter placement in the last 48 patients with preoperative virtual simulation on the 3-dimensional workstation were compared with those in the initial 65 patients without simulation. Catheter locations were classified into 3 categories: optimal, suboptimal, and poor placements. Additionally, slip angles were measured between the ventricular catheter and optimal direction. RESULTS All patients with preoperative simulations had optimally placed ventricular catheters; the mean slip angle for this group was 2.8°. Among the 65 patients without simulations, 46 (70.8%) had optimal placement, whereas 10 (15.4%) and 9 (13.8%) had suboptimal and poor placements, respectively; the mean slip angle for the nonsimulation group was 8.6°. The slip angles for all patients in the preoperative simulation group were within 7°, whereas those for 31 (47.7%) and 10 (15.4%) patients in the nonsimulation group were within 7° and over 14°, respectively. All patients with preoperative simulations experienced improved symptoms and did not require shunt revision during the follow-up period, whereas 5 patients (7.7%) without preoperative simulations required shunt revisions for different reasons. CONCLUSION Preoperative simulation facilitates accurate placement of ventricular catheters via a parieto-occipital approach. Minimally invasive and precise shunt catheter placement is particularly desirable for elderly patients with NPH.


1994 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 750-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dachling Pang ◽  
Paul A. Grabb

✓ Long-term patency of the ventricular catheter of a cerebrospinal fluid shunt depends on the positioning of the hole-bearing segment of the catheter. Placement of this segment near the choroid plexus or injured ependyma increases the probability of obstruction. Proper positioning for a coronal shunt in turn depends on the ventricular catheter length and target coordinates. The authors describe a method of calculating the catheter length based on bone landmarks on skull radiographs, and a technique for accurate ventricular catheter placement using free-hand passage guided by simple stereotactic coordinates based on visible and palpable surface anatomy. The insertion trajectory is aligned with the coronal obliquity of the lateral ventricle so that, even with slit ventricles, the entire hole-bearing segment of the catheter can be reliably situated within the anterior horn. The predetermined catheter length also fixes the tip at the foramen of Monro, away from the choroid plexus and injured ependyma. Of 160 children undergoing ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion using this technique, only three required catheter revision during a mean follow-up period of 39 months. Radiographic grading of the ventricular catheter position in 112 children showed a satisfactory placement rate of 93.2%; all three children with occlusion showed poor catheter positioning. Thus, this method results in accurate ventricular catheter placement with a 1.9% obstruction rate, which compares favorably to the 16% to 18% incidence of proximal obstruction reported in the literature. This technique is applicable to patients of all ages but is particularly suitable for children because of the greater variability in head size.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Nathan Todnem ◽  
Khoi D. Nguyen ◽  
Vamsi Reddy ◽  
Dayton Grogan ◽  
Taylor Waitt ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEExternal ventricular drain (EVD) placement is one of first cranial procedures neurosurgery residents are expected to perform independently. While proper training improves patient outcomes, there are few options for practicing EVD placement prior to placing the EVD in patients in a clinical setting. Proposed solutions to this include using cadaveric models and virtual simulations, but barriers exist with these as well in regard to authenticity. EVD simulators using virtual reality technologies are a promising new technique for training, but the cost of these devices poses a barrier to general/widespread accessibility among smaller programs or underserved hospitals. The authors desribe a novel, yet simple, and cost-effective technique (less than $5 per mold) for developing a brain model constructed of homemade ballistics gelatin that can be used for teaching and practicing the placement of EVD.METHODSA brain model is made with ballistics gelatin using an anatomically correct skull model as a mold. A 3D-printed ventricular system model is used to create a mold of an anatomically correct ventricular system in the brain model. A group of medical students (n = 10) were given a basic presentation about EVD placement, including standard landmarks and placement techniques, and were also shown a demonstration of EVD placement on the brain model. They were then allowed to perform an EVD placement using the brain model. The students were surveyed on their experience with using the brain model, including usability and practicality of the model. Accuracy of EVD placement by each student was also assessed, with adequate position of catheter tip being in the ipsilateral frontal horn.RESULTSThe final product is fairly inexpensive and easy to make. It is soft enough to pass a catheter through, but it is also firm enough to maintain its shape, including a cavity representing the lateral ventricles. The dense gelatin holds the catheter in its final resting position, while the two halves are separated and inspected. All participants in the test group of medical students reported that the brain model was easy to use, helped them understand the steps and technique of EVD placement, and provided good feedback on the ideal position of ventricular catheters. All of the participants in the group had adequate positioning of their ventricular catheters after one attempt.CONCLUSIONSThe presented brain model is easy to replicate, inexpensive, anatomically accurate, and provides a medium for neurosurgeons to teach and practice ventricular catheter placement in a risk-free environment.


Author(s):  
William E. Whitehead ◽  
Jay Riva-Cambrin ◽  
John C. Wellons ◽  
Abhaya V. Kulkarni ◽  
David D. Limbrick ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this trial was to determine if shunt entry site affects the risk of shunt failure. METHODS The authors performed a parallel-design randomized controlled trial with an equal allocation of patients who received shunt placement via the anterior entry site and patients who received shunt placement via the posterior entry site. All patients were children with symptoms or signs of hydrocephalus and ventriculomegaly. Patients were ineligible if they had a prior history of shunt insertion. Patients received a ventriculoperitoneal shunt after randomization; randomization was stratified by surgeon. The primary outcome was shunt failure. The planned minimum follow-up was 18 months. The trial was designed to achieve high power to detect a 10% or greater absolute difference in the shunt failure rate at 1 year. An independent, blinded adjudication committee determined eligibility and the primary outcome. The study was conducted by the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network. RESULTS The study randomized 467 pediatric patients at 14 tertiary care pediatric hospitals in North America from April 2015 to January 2019. The adjudication committee, blinded to intervention, excluded 7 patients in each group for not meeting the study inclusion criteria. For the primary analysis, there were 229 patients in the posterior group and 224 patients in the anterior group. The median patient age was 1.3 months, and the most common etiologies of hydrocephalus were postintraventricular hemorrhage secondary to prematurity (32.7%), myelomeningocele (16.8%), and aqueductal stenosis (10.8%). There was no significant difference in the time to shunt failure between the entry sites (log-rank test, stratified by age < 6 months and ≥ 6 months; p = 0.061). The hazard ratio (HR) of a posterior shunt relative to an anterior shunt was calculated using a univariable Cox regression model and was nonsignificant (HR 1.35, 95% CI, 0.98–1.85; p = 0.062). No significant difference was found between entry sites for the surgery duration, number of ventricular catheter passes, ventricular catheter location, and hospital length of stay. There were no significant differences between entry sites for intraoperative complications, postoperative CSF leaks, pseudomeningoceles, shunt infections, skull fractures, postoperative seizures, new-onset epilepsy, or intracranial hemorrhages. CONCLUSIONS This randomized controlled trial comparing the anterior and posterior shunt entry sites has demonstrated no significant difference in the time to shunt failure. Anterior and posterior entry site surgeries were found to have similar outcomes and similar complication rates.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document