The effectiveness of neuroendoscopic interventions in children with brain tumours

Object: The purpose of this study was to review the efficacy of neuroendoscopic interventions in children with brain tumours and tumour-related hydrocephalus. Methods: In all, 61 consecutive neuroendoscopic operations carried out in 53 children with brain tumours over a 6-year period were reviewed. The patients ranged in age from 5 months to 18 years (median 9 years). Forty of 61 presentations were with a newly diagnosed tumour and hydrocephalus – the remainder predominantly had a known tumour and worsening hydrocephalus. Conclusions: Neuroendoscopic third ventriculostomy (NTV) successfully relieved hydrocephalus in the short term in 45 of 47 cases and in the longer term in 39 of 47 cases. Neuroendoscopic biopsy provided definitive tissue diagnosis in 10 of 16 cases and 5 tumours were resected. There was 1 postoperative death, which not directly related to the neuroendoscopy and few significant complications otherwise. Neuroendoscopic methods allow effective immediate and longer term control of hydrocephalus as well as the opportunity for CSF sampling and tumour biopsy in selected cases.