Endoscopic Ventriculostomy
Endoscopic Ventriculostomy is a surgical procedure to address a condition known as Hydrocephalus. A patient is diagnosed with this condition when there is an excessive build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain.
This, in turn, puts pressure on the brain due to the swelling of the ventricles. The surgery creates a bypass for the cerebrospinal fluid to flow into other parts of the body for reabsorption. As the name suggests, an endoscopic ventriculostomy is performed with an endoscope to create an opening through which tiny instruments are passed to initiate the bypass.
How is it performed?
- The patient undergoes pre-operative procedures in which the area which is being operated on is thoroughly cleaned. They are also given steroids to reduce the swelling of the ventricles.
- The neurosurgeon creates a bypass in the membrane that lies right at the floor of the third ventricle.
- This directs the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid to the very base of the brain where it gets absorbed into the bloodstream.
- The procedure can also be completed by inserting a shunt in the brain that drains out the excess cerebrospinal fluid. However, is avoided in most cases since the shunt would be a foreign man-made device in the brain which may lead to complications later.
