THE EFFICACY OF SHUNTING THE HYDROCEPHALIC EDEMA

The efficacy of shunting the hydrocephalic edema was evaluated by mean s of transmission electromicroscopical observation (TEM) comparing ult rastructual alterations seen in either valid or invalid shunted feline hydrocephalus. Owning to shunt placement, deteriorated clinical sympt oms recovered and one of the observed morphological alterations such a s gliosis developed chronologically after the initiation of hydrocepha lus. On the other hand, so called hydrocephalic edema observed in the region of periependymal tissue after shunt placement was improved not only in both valid and invalid shunted but also even in sham group how ever the extent of these alterations were different from each other. A mong such observation, a distinct chronological linkage between the mo rphological alterations and clinical outcome was not noted. Our conclu sions in present study were 1) shunt implantation results in the promo tion of gliosis in die region of periventricular tissue in spite of th e expected efficacy of shunt, 2) recovery of hydrocephalic edema was i nfluenced not only by effective shunt implantation but also by the pro cesses in chronological tissue reconstructions occurred in the natural course of hydrocephalus, and 3) early treatment of periventricular ed ema in hydrocephalus through shunting corrects the ill-fated neuro axi s environments and reforming the intracranial conditions such as norma lizing ICP and relieving hemodynamic distress seems to be more importa nt than morphological recovery in treating hydrocephalus.