• Jaime Torres-Corzo, Juan Sánchez-Rodríguez, Dominic Cervantes, Roberto Rodríguez-Della Vecchia, Fernando Muruato-Araiza, Steven W Hwang, and Leonardo Rangel-Castilla.
• *Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Central, University of San Luis Potosi and School of Medicine, San Luis Potosi, Mexico; ‡Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts; §Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona.
• Neurosurgery. 2014 Apr 1;74(4):426-35; discussion 436.

BackgroundRoutinely, hydrocephalus related to fourth ventricular outlet obstruction (FVOO) has been managed with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting or endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). Few reports on Magendie foraminoplasty exist, and Luschka foraminoplasty has not been described.ObjectiveTo present an alternative technique in the management of FVOO via an endoscopic transventricular transaqueductal Magendie and Luschka foraminoplasty and to discuss the indications, technique, findings, and outcomes.MethodsBetween 1994 and 2011, all patients who underwent endoscopic Magendie and Luschka foraminoplasty were analyzed.ResultsA total of 33 Magendie (28) and/or Luschka (5) foraminoplasties were performed in 30 patients. Twenty-three were adult and 7 were pediatric patients. The etiology of the FVOO was divided into primary etiologies (congenital membrane in 5 and atresia in 2) and secondary causes (neurocysticercosis in 14 patients, bacterial meningitis in 9). Fifteen (50%) had previously failed procedures. Intraoperative findings that led to Magendie/Luschka foraminoplasty were ETV not feasible to perform, nonpatent basal subarachnoid space, or primary FVOO. Minor postoperative complications were seen in 3 patients. Only 26 patients had long-term follow-up; 17 (65.3%) of these had clinical improvement and did not require further procedures. Nine (34.7%) did not improve. Eight required another procedure (7 shunts, and 1 endoscopic procedure). One patient died.ConclusionFlexible neuroendoscopic transventricular transforaminal Magendie and Luschka foraminoplasty is feasible and safe. These procedures may prove to be viable alternatives to standard ETV and VP shunt in appropriate patients. Adequate intraoperative assessment of ETV success is necessary to identify patients who will benefit.

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