Intracranial pressure and conductance to outflow of cerebrospinal fluid in normal-pressure hydrocephalus

1979 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 489-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svend Erik Børgesen ◽  
Flemming Gjerris ◽  
Søren Claus Sørensen

✓ Forty patients with clinical evidence of normal-pressure hydrocephalus were studied by monitoring intraventricular pressure during a 24-hour period, and by a lumboventricular perfusion test for measurement of the conductance to outflow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The purpose of the study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between intraventricular pressure and conductance to outflow of CSF, and whether it is possible to use the results from pressure monitoring in the selection of patients who may be expected to benefit from shunting therapy. The conductance to outflow was used as an evaluation factor in the selection of patients to be treated by a shunt. The conductance to CSF outflow differed by twelvefold between the lowest and highest values. The level of resting intraventricular pressure was within normal limits in all patients. Accordingly, there was no evidence of a relationship between conductance to outflow and intraventricular pressure. So-called B-waves were seen more frequently in patients with decreased conductance to outflow, but were also present in patients with high conductance to outflow. Therefore, the presence of B-waves does not imply a low conductance to outflow of CSF.

1974 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Philippon ◽  
Bernard George ◽  
Jean Metzger

✓ Intraventricular pressure was studied in eight patients during and after diagnostic pneumoencephalography. In cases with normal initial pressure and normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics, variations in pressure were moderate, immediate, and disappeared at the end of the examination. In cases of normal-pressure hydrocephalus, there was a slow but relatively important elevation that continued for at least 24 hours. In cases with intracranial hypertension, there was a rapid significant increase; return to normal depended principally upon the flow from a large CSF compartment.


1972 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 548-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Samuelson ◽  
Don M. Long ◽  
Shelly N. Chou

✓ The authors report five patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) who developed subdural hematomas following shunt procedures. None of the hematomas was directly related to surgery, and all appeared after the patients had shown initial clinical improvement; one was conceivably related to trauma. These patients appear to be especially susceptible to this complication, as the high incidence of 5 of 24 cases is not seen in the treatment of high-pressure hydrocephalus. The symptoms and signs of this complication, diagnosis, and treatment are described and emphasized. It is concluded that shunting procedures for NPH should not be undertaken lightly, and rigid criteria should be applied in the selection of patients to exclude other causes of dementia.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ville Leinonen ◽  
Lata G. Menon ◽  
Rona S. Carroll ◽  
Donna Dello Iacono ◽  
Jeremy Grevet ◽  
...  

The diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is still challenging. Alzheimer's disease (AD), along with vascular dementia, the most important differential diagnosis for iNPH, has several potential cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers which might help in the selection of patients for shunt treatment. The aim of this study was to compare a battery of CSF biomarkers including well-known AD-related proteins with CSF from patients with suspected iNPH collected from the external lumbar drainage test (ELD). A total of 35 patients with suspected iNPH patients were evaluated with ELD. CSF was collected in the beginning of the test, and the concentrations of total tau, ptau181, Aβ42, NFL, TNF-α, TGFβ1, and VEGF were analysed by ELISA. Twenty-six patients had a positive ELD result—that is, their gait symptoms improved; 9 patients had negative ELD. The levels of all analyzed CSF biomarkers were similar between the groups and none of them predicted the ELD result in these patients. Contrary to expectations lumbar CSF TNF-αconcentration was low in iNPH patients.


1998 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 742-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei I. Holodny ◽  
Ajax E. George ◽  
Mony J. de Leon ◽  
James Golomb ◽  
Andrew J. Kalnin ◽  
...  

Object. The authors describe a subgroup of patients with shunt-proven normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) who presented with focal fissural and sulcal dilation on imaging studies. The specific radiological features and methods of differentiating this condition from cortical atrophy are delineated. Methods. Normal-pressure hydrocephalus has been described as dilation of the ventricles that is out of proportion to the sulci. Sulcal dilation has been taken as evidence of cortical atrophy and has even been used as a criterion to exclude patients from undergoing a shunting procedure. The authors describe five cases of patients with shunt-proven NPH who presented with focal dilation of cortical fissures and sulci. In three of the cases, there was a paradoxical decrease in the size of the dilated fissures and sulci that paralleled the decrease in the size of the lateral ventricles following successful shunting. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that focal fissural and sulcal dilation may represent reservoirs of cerebrospinal fluid analogous to the ventricular system. Patients should not be denied a shunting procedure solely on the basis of focally dilated fissures of sulci.


1997 ◽  
Vol 87 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnita J. W. Boon ◽  
Joseph T. J. Tans ◽  
Ernst J. Delwel ◽  
Saskia M. Egeler-Peerdeman ◽  
Patrick W. Hanlo ◽  
...  

✓ The authors examined whether measurement of resistance to outflow of cerebrospinal fluid (Rcsf) predicts outcome after shunting for patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). In four centers 101 patients (most of whom had idiopathic NPH) who fulfilled strict entry criteria underwent shunt placement irrespective of their level of Rcsf obtained by lumbar constant flow infusion. Gait disturbance and dementia were quantified by using an NPH scale and the patient's level of disability was assessed by using the modified Rankin scale (mRS). In addition the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination was performed. Patients were assessed prior to and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery. Primary outcome measures were based on differences between the preoperative and last NPH scale scores and mRS grades. Improvement was defined as a change measuring at least 15% in the NPH scale score and at least one mRS grade. Intention-to-treat analysis of all patients at 1 year yielded improvement for 57% in NPH scale score and 59% in mRS grade. Efficacy analysis, excluding serious events and deaths that were unrelated to NPH, was performed for 95 patients. Improvement rose to 76% in NPH scale score and 69% in mRS grade. Six cut-off levels of Rcsf were related to improvement in NPH scale score using two-by-two tables. Positive predictive values were approximately 80% for an Rcsf of 10, 12, or 15 mm Hg/ml/minute, 92% for an Rcsf of 18 mm Hg/ml/minute, and 100% for an Rcsf of 24 mm Hg/ml/minute. Negative predictive values were low. More important was the highest likelihood ratio of 3.5 for an Rcsf of 18 mm Hg/ml/minute. Extensive comorbidity was a major prognostic factor. Measurement of Rcsf reliably predicts outcome if the limit for shunting is raised to 18 mm Hg/ml/minute. At lower Rcsf values the decision depends mainly on the extent to which clinical and computerized tomography findings are typical of NPH.


1984 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 510-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norihiko Tamaki ◽  
Tadaki Kusunoki ◽  
Toshimitsu Wakabayashi ◽  
Satoshi Matsumoto

✓ Cerebral hemodynamics in 31 patients with suspected normal-pressure hydrocephalus were studied by means of the xenon-133 (133Xe) inhalation method and on dynamic computerized tomography (CT) scanning. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reduced in all patients with dementia. Hypoperfusion was noted in a frontal distribution in these patients compared with normal individuals. There was no difference in CBF patterns between patients with good and those with poor outcome. The CBF was increased following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting in patients who responded to that procedure: increase in flow correlated with clinical improvement, frontal and temporal lobe CBF was most markedly increased, and the CBF pattern became normal. In contrast, CBF was decreased after shunt placement in patients who were considered to have suffered from degenerative dementia, as evidenced by non-response to shunting. Dynamic computerized tomography studies demonstrated that patients with a good outcome showed a postoperative reduction in mean transit time of contrast material, most prominent in the frontal and temporal gray matter, and slight in the deep frontal structures, but not in the major cerebral vessels. Patients with poor outcome after shunting, however, had an increase in transit time in all regions. This corresponded well with the results as determined by the 133Xe inhalation method.


1980 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tung Pui Poon ◽  
Edward J. Arida ◽  
Wolodymyr P. Tyschenko

✓ The authors report a case of cerebral cysticercosis which presented with generalized nonspecific neurological signs and symptoms attributed to acute aqueductal obstruction, with concomitant intracranial hypertension. These were characteristic intracranial calcifications along with angiographically demonstrated signs of hydrocephalus. Contrast encephalography clearly demonstrated aqueductal obstruction. Pathologically, the aqueductal obstruction was shown to be due to parasitic invasion of the brain stem with compression of the aqueduct. The presence of typical intracranial calcification in conjunction with either obstructive or normal-pressure hydrocephalus should alert the observer to the possibility of cerebral cysticercosis.


1973 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean E. Paillas ◽  
Bernard Alliez

✓ The results of the surgical treatment of cerebral hemorrhage in 250 cases are reported. Preoperative diagnosis, the selection of patients, and the favorable moment to operate are discussed.


2004 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 855-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria A. Poca ◽  
Maria Mataró ◽  
Maria Del Mar Matarín ◽  
Fuat Arikan ◽  
Carmen Junqué ◽  
...  

Object. Data from many studies have demonstrated that shunt insertion in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is associated with high morbidity and a lack of significant improvement; however, the use of strict diagnostic and treatment protocols can improve the results of surgery in these patients. The primary aim in this prospective study was to analyze the results of shunt placement in 43 patients with idiopathic NPH. A secondary aim was to determine the relationship between several clinical and neuroimaging factors, and patient outcome after surgery. Methods. Thirty men and 13 women with a mean age of 71.1 ± 6.9 years participated in this study. All patients underwent clinical, neuropsychological, and radiological assessment before and 6 months after surgery. In all patients continuous monitoring of intracranial pressure was performed using a fiberoptic extradural sensor. In 31 patients cerebrospinal fluid dynamics were also determined. Eighty-six percent of patients showed clinical improvement after shunt insertion, 11.6% showed no change, and 2.3% exhibited some worsening. Gait improved in 81.4% of the patients, sphincter control in 69.8%, and cognitive dysfunction in 39.5%. There was no treatment-related death. Early or late postsurgical complications occurred in six patients (14%), although all of these complications were minor or were satisfactorily resolved. The complete clinical triad, cortical sulci size, and periventricular lucencies were related to outcome, whereas patient age, symptom duration, ventricular dilation, and the degree of presurgical dementia were unrelated to outcome. Conclusions. Given the correct diagnosis, shunt insertion can produce marked improvement in patients with idiopathic NPH syndrome, causing few deaths and few clinically relevant complications.


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