S. Coulbois et al., Diabetes insipidus after endoscopic third ventriculostomy. A case report and review of the literature, NEUROCHIRE, 47(4), 2001, pp. 435-438
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy has been found to be successful for treati
ng occlusive hydrocephalus. The complication rate ranges from 6 to 12 %. In
traoperative bleeding is the most common incident. Endocrinological failure
s are rare, mainly due to the proximity of the hypothalamic structures.
We report the case of a 33-year-old man who was referred in emergency for s
ubacute hydrocephalus related to a tentorium meningioma. The hydrocephalus
was treated by endoscopic third ventriculostomy. During the procedure, the
floor of the third ventricle was found to be thick but fenestration was per
formed without incident. After surgery, the clinical signs of hydrocephalus
disappeared but diabetes insipidus was diagnosed the same day. There were
no other endocrinology disorders. Medical treatment with vasopressin allowe
d resolution of the diabetes insipidus in fifteen days. Surgical debulking
of the meningioma was then achieved via a subtemporal approach. There was n
o recurrence of the endocrinology disorder.
Diabetes insipidus is an unpredictable complication of third ventriculostom
y. The mechanism is not well known. It is however a transient disorder that
can easily be treated with vasopresin and therefore should not modify the
indications of third ventriculostomy, especially in tumor-related hydroceph
alus.