Risk of rebleeding after treatment of acute hydrocephalus in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. (41/123)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebrospinal fluid drainage is often indicated in patients with acute hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage but is believed to increase the risk of rebleeding. We studied the risk of rebleeding in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage during treatment for acute hydrocephalus. METHODS: We included patients with hydrocephalus treated with external ventricular drainage or lumbar punctures within 4 days after the hemorrhage and before aneurysm occlusion. Each treated patient was matched with a control patient with untreated hydrocephalus and a control patient without ventricular enlargement. Patients and controls were matched for interval since subarachnoid hemorrhage, duration of exposure, use of tranexamic acid, clinical condition on admission, and age. We used Cox regression to calculate hazard ratios and we adjusted for rebleeding that had occurred before starting the cerebrospinal fluid drainage. RESULTS: In the group treated with external ventricular drainage, rebleeding occurred in seven of 34 patients (21%) with treatment, in seven of 34 controls (21%) with untreated hydrocephalus, and in six of 34 controls (18%) without hydrocephalus. In the group treated with one or more lumbar punctures, rebleeding occurred in one of 21 patients (5%) with treatment, in three of 21 controls (14%) with untreated hydrocephalus, and in none of the 21 controls without hydrocephalus. The hazard ratios for rebleeding were 1.0 (95% CI: 0.4 to 2.7) for external ventricular drainage treatment and 0.7 (95% CI: 0.1 to 6.4) for lumbar puncture treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not confirm an importantly increased risk of rebleeding during external ventricular drainage or lumbar punctures for acute hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.  (+info)

Intracerebral hemorrhage with severe ventricular involvement: lumbar drainage for communicating hydrocephalus. (42/123)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The objective was to analyze the feasibility of a lumbar drainage (LD) for a communicating malresorptive hydrocephalus in patients with supratentorial hemorrhage (intracerebral hemorrhage) accompanied by severe ventricular involvement (intraventricular hemorrhage) who required an external ventricular drain (EVD). METHODS: In this retrospective study, 16 patients received an EVD and concurrent LD and were compared with 39 historical patients treated with EVD alone. The duration of required EVD and need for permanent ventriculoperitoneal-shunt were analyzed. RESULTS: LD was inserted after 12 (4 to 18) days. In LD-treated patients, the LD was capable to replace repeated EVD exchanges, resulting in a shorter EVD-duration (12 versus 16 days) compared with patients treated with EVD alone. The overall duration of extracorporal cerebrospinal fluid drainage was longer (16 days EVD versus 21 days EVD+LD) and the frequency of ventriculoperitoneal-shunt lower (18.75% versus 33%; P<0.03) in LD-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that LD is safe and feasible for treatment of nonpersistent communicating hydrocephalus after intracerebral hemorrhage. After adequate treatment of the occlusive hydrocephalus using an EVD in the acute phase, LD discloses an alternative for further extracorporal cerebrospinal fluid drainage.  (+info)

Disproportionately large communicating fourth ventricle with syringomyelia: case report. (43/123)

A 13-year-old boy presented with syringomyelia associated with disproportionately large communicating fourth ventricle (DLCFV) manifesting as symptoms attributable to hydrocephalus and characteristic posterior fossa symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated remarkable dilation of the fourth ventricle and syringomyelia. Ventriculoperitoneal shunting completely resolved all symptoms as well as the ventricular and spinal cord abnormalities. Pre- and postoperative cine magnetic resonance imaging revealed the change of cerebrospinal fluid flow signal in the area of the foramen magnum. We concluded that the syringomyelia could be described as enlargement of the central canal with DLCFV.  (+info)

Detection of CSF leak in spinal CSF leak syndrome using MR myelography: correlation with radioisotope cisternography. (44/123)

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Intracranial hypotension following scoliosis surgery: dural penetration of a thoracic pedicle screw. (45/123)

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Comparison of thoracic epidural pressure in the sitting and lateral decubitus positions. (46/123)

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Changes in intracranial CSF volume after lumbar puncture and their relationship to post-LP headache. (47/123)

Post-lumbar puncture (LP) headache may be due to "low CSF pressure", leading to stretching of pain sensitive intracranial structures. The low intracranial pressure is secondary to net loss of intracranial CSF. It has, however, not been possible to measure intracranial CSF volume accurately during life until recently. Intracranial CSF volume can now be measured non-invasively by a MRI technique. The changes in intracranial CSF volume were studied in 20 patients who had LP. Total intracranial CSF volume was reduced in 19 of the 20 patients 24 hours after LP (range -1.8 mls to -158.6 mls). Most of the CSF was lost from the cortical sulci. Very large reductions in intracranial CSF volume were frequently related to post-LP headache but some patients developed headache with relatively little alteration in the intracranial CSF volume. There was not a measurable change in position of the intracranial structures following LP.  (+info)

Development of a quick reference table for setting programmable pressure valves in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. (48/123)

Quick and reliable setting of programmable pressure valves (PPVs) is important in the treatment of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH), especially for reducing overdrainage complications and related medical costs. A new quick reference table (QRT) was developed for improved PPV control and outcome. Shunt control can be based on the pressure environment in the sitting condition, given as hydrostatic pressure (HP) = intracranial pressure + PPV setting + intraabdominal pressure (IAP). Using this relationship, and estimating HP and IAP from the patient's height and body mass index, respectively, a QRT was designed, consisting of a matrix of the patient's height and weight. The QRT was used to make initial PPV settings in 25 patients with iNPH and the clinical outcomes were evaluated. Postoperative readjustments of the PPV were not necessary in 15 of the 25 patients. At 1 month after operation, the PPV setting was decreased once in 5 patients and increased once in 2 patients. Four of these 7 patients improved after a single readjustment. Three patients required further readjustments. At 3 months after operation, another 3 patients required a single readjustment and all improved after this readjustment. The readjustment rate was 40% and readjustment number was 0.68 times/patient. The mean PPV setting at 1 year after operation was 15.5 +/- 3.9 cmH(2)O. Use of the QRT in non-bedridden iNPH patients results in a low incidence of PPV readjustment.  (+info)