LUMBOPERITONEAL SHUNT FOR THE TREATMENT OF PSEUDOTUMOR CEREBRI

We conducted a retrospective study of 27 patients with pseudotumor cer ebri (PTC) treated with at least one lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) to as certain the efficacy oi. this treatment. The average duration of follo w-up for this population was 77 months (median, 47 months), with a ran ge of 21 to 278 months. A functioning LPS was successful in alleviatin g symptoms in all patients studied, and no patient with a functioning shunt complained of shunt-related symptoms, such as low-pressure heada che or abdominal pain, within 2 months after the shunt was performed. Twelve patients (44%) required no revisions. The number of revisions a mong the 15 patients (56%) who required them ranged horn 1 (5 patients ) to 13 (1 patient). Three of these patients required 35 of the 66 tot al shunt revisions (53%). There were no major complications from LPS, other than failure of the shunt, even in patients who required multipl e shunts. We conclude that placement of a lumboperitoneal shunt is sat isfactory treatment for the majority of patients with PTC who require surgical therapy for the disorder, even though some patients ultimatel y require multiple shunt revisions.