Pediatric neurosurgery
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Pediatric neurosurgery · Aug 1998
Shunt revision by coagulation with retention of the ventricular catheter.
Intraluminal coagulation of a ventricular catheter followed by its removal and replacement is a technique used for proximal shunt revision. The authors describe experience leaving the original catheter in place when flow of CSF is established by the coagulation. Advantages of this modification include maintenance of ventricular access when the ventricles are small and the possibility of reducing the incidence of subsequent shunt obstruction by mitigating intraventricular hemorrhage caused by catheter removal.
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Pediatric neurosurgery · Jun 1998
Complications after selective posterior rhizotomy for spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.
Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) has been shown to be an effective treatment for the spasticity of cerebral palsy, but few studies have addressed specifically the side effects of the procedure. A retrospective study was performed to determine the frequency and nature of complications in 158 children who had undergone SDR at British Columbia's Children's Hospital from 1987 to 1996. Intraoperative, preoperative (immediate postoperative until discharge at approximately 7 days) and postdischarge complications occurred in 3.8, 43.6 and 30% of patients, respectively. ⋯ In 8 patients (5.1%), bladder and/or bowel dysfunction attributed to the SDR was present at the latest follow-up, although in only 2 patients (1.3%) this dysfunction was a definite complication of the rhizotomy. The use of pudendal monitoring and/or cutting less than 50% of the S2 roots may have been associated with a lower incidence of long-term sphincter dysfunction. Data about the nature and frequency of complications may result in further modifications to the SDR procedure, and is critical for counseling about SDR and alternative options available for treatment of the child with spastic cerebral palsy.
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Pediatric neurosurgery · Feb 1998
Case ReportsSurgical management of cutis aplasia with high-flow sinus pericranii.
Cutis aplasia (cutis aplasia congenita cystica) is a rare congenital disorder with failure of completion of the extracerebral coverings, involving a defect in the scalp and often a cranial defect. A case of cutis aplasia is reported with an associated high-flow venous fistula or sinus pericranii, resulting in altered venous drainage of sagittal sinus blood through dilated scalp veins. Radiological workup to ensure patency of the superior sagittal sinus was critical to the surgical management in this case.
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The presentation of an acute abdomen in children with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt requires skillful diagnostic workup. Apart from complications caused by the shunt, primary abdominal pathological conditions must be taken into consideration, particularly in the older child. A series of 6 children with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt had to be treated surgically for appendicitis. ⋯ No ascending infection occurred, even when the abdominal tip of the shunt came in close contact with the focus of inflammation. An acute abdomen due to shunt infection should be managed conservatively and by removal of the shunt from the abdomen, thus avoiding an unnecessary laparotomy. On the other hand, a primary intraabdominal disease requires surgical treatment, during which the shunt system can be left in place.