VENTRICULO-PERITONEAL SHUNT REQUIREMENT IN CHILDREN WITH POSTERIOR-FOSSA TUMORS - AN 11-YEAR AUDIT

The authors reviewed 175 paediatric patients with posterior fossa rumo urs treated at the Hospital for Sick Children at Great Ormond Street, London, between 1983 and 1993, in an attempt to determine the requirem ent for shunt procedures in these children. The age of the patient pop ulation ranged from 4 months to 14 years 6 months. The factors evaluat ed included age at diagnosis, tumour type, extent of surgical resectio n, and the presence of CSF leak and/or infection. Shunt placement was required postoperatively in 18.9% of patients. Age of the patient was felt to be a significant factor in the need for shunt placement. Tumou r type and completeness of tumour excision were also felt to be signif icant factors affecting the need for post-operative shunt insertion.