INTRACEREBRAL TEMPERATURE IN PATIENTS WITH HYDROCEPHALUS OF VARYING ETIOLOGY

Brain temperature was measured at various depths beneath the pial surf ace in patients with hydrocephalus of varying aetiology. Temperature i ncreased gradually with depth in all patients, with the highest temper ature found in the ventricle. The difference between intraventricular and rectal temperatures (Delta v-r) was greater in patients who underw ent continuous ventricular drainage than in patients who underwent ven triculoperitoneal shunt (continuous ventricular drainage; 1.2 (SD 0.40 )degrees C, mean (SD), n=5 v ventriculoperitoneal shunt; 0.4 (SD 0.45) degrees C, n=16; p< 0.05). The difference between intracerebral and re ctal temperatures (Delta b2-r) was also greater in patients with conti nuous ventricular drainage than in patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt (continuous ventricular drainage; 0.1 (SD 0.86)degrees C, n=5 v ventriculoperitoneal shunt; -0.7 (0.86)degrees C, n=16; p< 0.05). Amon g patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus, these differences were greater in the patients with better outcomes after shunt surgery than in the less improved group (Delta v-r; 0.7 (SD 0.27)degrees C, n=7 v 0 .1 (SD 0.40)degrees C, n=5, p< 0.01, Delta b2-r; -0.2 (SD 0.61)degrees C, n=7 v -1.4 (0.90)degrees C, n=5, p< 0.01).