LOW-RATE OF SHUNT REVISION IN TUMORAL OBSTRUCTIVE HYDROCEPHALUS

The authors calculated the shunt revision rate for 77 consecutive pati ents with tumoural obstructive hydrocephalus. At a mean follow up of 2 3.7 months, the annual revision rate was 0.06 which is significantly l ower than the annual revision rate of 0.39 for other hydrocephalic pat ients treated during the same period. Shunted patients who had total e xcision of their lesions had a significantly lower revision rate than patients who had a partial excision or a biopsy. It is therefore, sugg ested that cases with tumoural obstructive hydrocephalus may represent a subset of hydrocephalic patients who are associated with a relative ly low risk of shunt complications. The observation has to be addresse d when the role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in these patients is being considered.