Skip to main content
Log in

Analysis of CSF shunting procedure requirement in children with posterior fossa tumors

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Child's Nervous System Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Object

The authors analyze the factors that predispose to persistent hydrocephalus in children with posterior fossa tumors and compare their results and treatment policy with those described in the literature, particularly with regard to the higher postoperative shunt insertion rates, which have led some authors to the routine use of preoperative third ventriculostomy.

Methods

The clinical records of 180 children treated for posterior fossa tumors in the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery of the National Institute of Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary, between 1990 and 2000 were retrospectively reviewed.

Conclusions

The low postoperative shunt insertion rate in our series (15.5%) led us to believe that the routine use of preoperative third ventriculostomy is not entirely justified. Factors such as patient's age and tumor type, which showed a statistically significant association with the postoperative shunt requirement in our study, should be considered when the decision regarding treatment is made.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Albright L (1983) The value of pre-craniotomy shunts in children with posterior fossa tumours. Clin Neurosurg 30:278–285

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Albright L, Reigel DH (1977) Management of hydrocephalus secondary to posterior fossa tumors. J Neurosurg 46:52–55

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Culley DJ, Berger MS, Shaw D, Geyer R (1994) An analysis of factors determining the need for ventriculoperitoneal shunts after posterior fossa tumor surgery in children. Neurosurgery 34:402–408

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Dias MS, Albright AL (1989) Management of hydrocephalus complicating childhood posterior fossa tumors. Pediatr Neurosci 15:283–290

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Epstein F, Murali R (1978) Pediatric posterior fossa tumors: hazards of the preoperative shunt. Neurosurgery 3:348–350

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hoffman HJ, Hendrick EB, Humphreys RP (1976) Metastasis via ventriculoperitoneal shunt in patients with medulloblastoma. J Neurosurg 44:562–566

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hoph NJ, Grunert P, Fries G et al (1999) Endoscopic third ventriculostomy: outcome analysis of 100 consecutive procedures. Neurosurgery 44:795–806

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Imielinski BL, Kloc W, Wasilewski W, Liczbik W, Puzyrewski R, Karwacki Z (1998) Posterior fossa tumors in children—indications for ventricular drainage and for V-P shunting. Childs Nerv Syst 14:227–229

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Jones RF, Stening WA, Brydon M (1990) Endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Neurosurgery 26:86–92

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kumar V, Phipps K, Harkness W, Haward RD (1996) Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt requirement in children with posterior fossa tumours: an 11-year audit. Br J Neurosurg 10:467–470

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. McLaurin RL (1983) Disadvantages of the preoperative shunt in posterior fossa tumors. Clin Neurosurg 30:286–294

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. McLaurin RL (1985) On the use of pre-craniotomy shunting in the management of posterior fossa tumours in children. Concepts Paediatr Neurosurg 6:1–5

    Google Scholar 

  13. Papo I, Caruselli G, Luongo A (1982) External ventricular drainage in the management of posterior fossa tumors in children and adolescents. Neurosurgery 10:13–15

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Raimondi AJ, Tomita T (1981) Hydrocephalus and infratentorial tumors. Incidence, clinical picture, and treatment. J Neurosurg 55:174–182

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Rappaport ZH, Shalit MN (1989) Perioperative external ventricular drainage in obstructive hydrocephalus secondary to infratentorial brain tumors. Acta Neurochir 96:118–121

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sainte-Rose C, Cinalli G, Roux FE, Maixner W, Chumas PD, Mansour M, Carpentier A, Bourgeois M, Zerah M, Kahn AP, Reiner D (2001) Management of hydrocephalus in pediatric patients with posterior fossa tumors: the role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy. J Neurosurg 95:791–797

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Schmid UD, Seiler RW (1986) Management of obstructive hydrocephalus secondary to posterior fossa tumors by steroid and subcutaneous ventricular catheter reservoir. J Neurosurg 65:649–653

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Shalit MN, Ben Ari Y, Enyan N (1979) The management of obstructive hydrocephalus by the use of external ventricular drainage. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 47:161–172

    Google Scholar 

  19. Stein BM, Tenner MS, Fraser RA (1972) Hydrocephalus following removal of cerebellar astrocytomas in children. J Neurosurg 36:763–768

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Taylor WAS, Todd NV, Leighton SEJ (1992) CSF drainage in patients with posterior fossa tumours. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 117:1–6

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to László Bognár.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bognár, L., Borgulya, G., Benke, P. et al. Analysis of CSF shunting procedure requirement in children with posterior fossa tumors. Childs Nerv Syst 19, 332–336 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-003-0745-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-003-0745-x

Keywords

Navigation