Zero tolerance to shunt infections: can it be achieved?
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rigid application of a technique of shunt placement aimed at the eradication of postoperative shunt infection in neurosurgical practice. METHOD: All shunt procedures were performed or closely supervised by the senior author (MSC). The essentials were the use of intravenous peri- and postoperative antimicrobials, rigid adherence to classical aseptic technique, liberal use of topical antiseptic (Betadine), and avoidance of haematomas. RESULTS: Of 176 operations, 93 were primary procedures; 33 patients underwent revisions, some multiple. Only one infection occurred, seven months postoperatively, secondary to appendicitis with peritonitis. The infecting Streptococcus faecalis appeared to ascend from the abdominal cavity. CONCLUSION: A rigidly applied protocol and strict adherence to sterile technique can reduce shunt infections to a very low level. (+info)
Syringobulbia: a surgical appraisal.
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Syringobulbia is a term which has been clinically applied to brain stem symptoms or signs in patients with syringomyelia. Syringobulbia clefts are found on investigation or at necropsy caused by cutting outwards of the CSF under pressure from the fourth ventricle into the medulla. These should be differentiated from the ascending syringobulbia which may occur from upward impulsive fluid movements in a previously established syringomyelia. Clinical analysis of 54 patients suggests that bulbar features are most often found with neither of the above mechanisms but are due to the effects of pressure differences acting downward upon the hind-brain with consequent distortion of the cerebellum and brainstem, traction on cranial nerves or indentation of the brain-stem by vascular loops. The commonest symptoms in the 54 patients were headache (35), vertigo (27), dysphonia or dysarthria (21), trigeminal paraesthesiae (27), dysphagia (24), diplopia (16), tinnitus (11), palatal palsy (11) and hypoglossal involvement (11). Careful attention to hydrocephalus is advisable before craniovertebral surgery, but the decompression of the hindbrain and the correction of craniospinal pressure dissociation remains the mainstay of surgical treatment. The results of careful surgery are good, 45 of the 54 cases reported improvement. Most of the reported deterioration occurred in a few patients who did conspicuously badly. (+info)
Mode of action of an antimicrobial biomaterial for use in hydrocephalus shunts.
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OBJECTIVES: Infection remains a major complication of shunting for hydrocephalus. The causative bacteria, mainly staphylococci, gain access to the shunt at operation and colonize the shunt tubing. This leads to biofilm development requiring shunt removal. As there is no clear evidence to support antibiotic prophylaxis, we have developed an impregnated antimicrobial shunt material. This study aimed to elucidate its mode of action in terms of bacterial adherence and killing kinetics. METHODS: Plain and impregnated material, with and without plasma protein conditioning film, were exposed to Staphylococcus epidermidis. Bacterial adherence was determined by scanning electron microscopy, chemiluminescence and culture. Time taken to kill 100% of bacteria (tK(100)) was determined by serial chemiluminescence, culture and the use of differential viability microscopy. RESULTS: The antimicrobial material did not reduce bacterial adherence. However, 100% of attached bacteria were killed in 48-52 h, even in the presence of a conditioning film. CONCLUSIONS: Impregnated antimicrobial material is likely to reduce shunt infection rates significantly without the risks and side effects of systemic antibiotics. (+info)
The use of reservoir shunt in chronic subdural hematoma.
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Recurrent chronic subdural hematomas (CSDH) can be a therapeutic challenge. We report the use of reservoir shunts for continuous irrigation and drainage of the subdural space for a prolonged period. This system appears to be more useful than an external drainage system. (+info)
Infection of cerebrospinal fluid shunts: causative pathogens, clinical features, and outcomes.
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This retrospective chart review describes the clinical features, pathogens, and outcomes of 46 patients with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt infections collected over 16 years. The overall CSF shunt infection rate was 2.1%, broken down into 1.7 and 9.3% in adult and pediatric groups, respectively. Fever and progressive consciousness disturbance were the most clinical features in the adult patient group, whereas disturbance of consciousness and abdominal symptoms and signs were the two most common clinical features in the pediatric patient group. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were of the Staphylococcus spp., including Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococcus, which accounted for 47% of the episodes. Furthermore, increases in polymicrobial and Gram-negative bacilli infections were observed in our study. Due to the high proportion of oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. and polymicrobial infections, we recommend initial empirical antibiotics with both vancomycin and a third-generation cephalosporin for cases in which the causative bacteria has not been identified or for which the results of antimicrobial susceptibility tests are not available. For patients who develop smoldering fevers, progressive disturbed consciousness, seizures, or abdominal fullness after ventriculoperitoneal shunt procedures, CSF shunt infections should be suspected. Although some infections have been managed successfully with antimicrobial therapy alone, the timely use of appropriate antibiotics according to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and the removal of the shunt apparatus are essential for successful treatment. (+info)
Clinical guidelines for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.
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Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a syndrome characterized by gait disturbance, dementia, and/or urinary incontinence without causative disorders, and ventricular enlargement due to disturbance of the cerebrospinal fluid (SF) circulation. The number of patients with iNPH will increase with the aging of the population in Japan. However, iNPH is often difficult to differentiate from other senile disorders such as lumbar canal stenosis, parkinsonism, and so on. Clinical guidelines for iNPH are required to improve understanding and provide for patients' quality of life and social care. These guidelines propose three levels of iNPH: possible, probable, and definite. Possible iNPH includes one or more of the classical triad and ventricular dilation in middle aged and elderly patients with closing of the CSF space at high convexity on magnetic resonance imaging. Probable iNPH shows improvement of the symptoms after CSF removal in patients with possible iNPH. Definite iNPH shows clinical improvement after CSF shunt operation. The CSF tap test is a major diagnostic measure because of the simplicity and less invasiveness. Use of the programmable valve is recommended to decrease CSF overdrainage. These guidelines are helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of iNPH. (+info)
Features of the Sinushunt and its influence on the cerebrospinal fluid system.
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OBJECTIVES: A new cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt system, Sinushunt, has recently been introduced. CSF is shunted from the ventricles to the transverse sinus. The Sinushunt is not a classical differential pressure shunt; instead, it opens as soon as there is a positive pressure over the shunt and the flow is dependent on the resistance of the system, which is high compared with traditional CSF shunts. The objective of this study was to characterise the features of the Sinushunt and to evaluate its influence on the CSF system. METHODS: Five brand new Sinushunts with distal catheters were tested. An automated, computerised experimental apparatus based on regulation of pressure, built into an incubator at 37 degrees C, was used. Opening pressure, resistance, and anti-reflux properties were determined. RESULTS: The mean (SD) opening pressure was highly dependent on the pressure in the sinus: P(open) = 1.3 (0.6) mm Hg with Psinus = 0.0 mm Hg, and Popen = 7.5 (0.6) mm Hg for Psinus = 6.5 mm Hg. The mean (SD) resistance of the shunts was 7.9 (0.3) mm Hg/ml/min and not clinically significantly affected by the sinus pressure. In one shunt there was reflux, and in another two shunts there was a very small, but similar, tendency. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that the resistance of the Sinushunt is comparable to the physiological values in humans. However, the optimal post-operative resistance for different hydrocephalus types is unknown, and randomised clinical trials are needed to confirm improved outcome and reduced complication rate for the Sinushunt compared with traditional low resistance ventriculoperitoneal shunts. A weakness of the anti-reflux system of the Sinushunt must be suspected and has to be further investigated. (+info)
Decreases in ventricular volume correlate with decreases in ventricular pressure in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus patients who experienced clinical improvement after implantation with adjustable valve shunts.
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OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study examined whether changes in ventricular volume correspond with changes in adjustable valve pressure settings in a cohort of patients who received shunts to treat idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. We also examined whether these pressure-volume curves and other patient variables would co-occur with a positive clinical response to shunting. METHODS: We selected 51 patients diagnosed with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus who had undergone implantation of a Codman Hakim programmable valve (Medos S.A., Le Locle, Switzerland). Clinical data were gathered from the patients' records and clinical notes by an investigator blinded to patients' ventricular volumes. Ventricular volume was measured using 3D Slicer, an image analysis and interactive visualization software package developed and maintained at the Surgical Planning Laboratory at Brigham and Women's Hospital. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of patients with gait disturbance at presentation showed improvement of this symptom, 70% experienced improvement in incontinence, and 69% experienced improvement in dementia. For the group showing 100% clinical improvement, the correlation coefficient of average changes in valve pressure over time (delta P/delta T) and average changes in ventricular volume over time (delta V/delta T) were high at 0.843 (P < 0.05). For the group experiencing no or only partial improvement, the correlation coefficient was 0.257 (P = 0.32), indicating no correlation between average delta V/delta T and average delta P/delta T for each patient. CONCLUSION: This was a carefully analyzed modeling study of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus treatment made possible only by adjustable valve technology. With careful volumetric analysis, we found that changes in ventricular volume correlated with adjustments in valve pressure settings for those patients who improved clinically after shunting. This suggests that positive clinical responders retained parenchymal elasticity, emphasizing the importance of dynamic changes in this cohort. (+info)