Endoscopic Techniques for Pediatric Hydrocephalus Management
Summary
Endoscopic approaches to paediatric hydrocephalus have transformed surgical practice by offering minimally invasive alternatives to traditional shunt implantation. The cornerstone procedure, endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), creates a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bypass through the floor of the third ventricle, restoring physiological flow and reducing long-term shunt dependency. Advances in optics, neuroendoscopic instrumentation and intraoperative imaging have expanded indications to include aqueductoplasty, combined ETV–choroid plexus cauterisation and endoscopic management of multiloculated or post-inflammatory hydrocephalus. These techniques aim to lower complication rates, shorten hospital stays and improve neurodevelopmental outcomes. Globally, endoscopic management has been adopted across diverse healthcare settings, with ongoing efforts to refine patient selection criteria, optimise stoma patency and integrate objective outcome measures.
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Endoscopic Techniques for Pediatric Hydrocephalus Management publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in endoscopic techniques for pediatric hydrocephalus management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV): A minimally invasive procedure creating an opening in the floor of the third ventricle to divert cerebrospinal fluid internally and relieve obstructive hydrocephalus.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS): A surgical system that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid from the cerebral ventricles to the peritoneal cavity to manage hydrocephalus.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): The clear fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, whose circulation and absorption are targeted by endoscopic hydrocephalus treatments.
Aqueductoplasty: Endoscopic dilation or stenting of the cerebral aqueduct to restore CSF flow in cases of aqueductal stenosis.
References
- Failure of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy. Cureus (2022).
- Heidelberg ETV score to assess success of ETV in patients with occlusive hydrocephalus: a retrospective single-center study. Neurosurgical Review (2023).
- Outcomes of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) in the treatment of paediatric hydrocephalus: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Child's Nervous System (2023).
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