Results of endoscopic third ventriculostomy

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy is emerging as the treatment of choice for aqueductal stenosis caused by anatomic, inflammatory, and selected neoplastic etiologies. The technique has also proven useful in the pathologic diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. Long-term results of this procedure and comparison to standard shunting procedures are necessary to define indications for patients with pathologic findings in the intermediate response groups. Development of new studies for preoperative assessment of cerebrospinal fluid absorptive capacity and quantitative postoperative measures of ventriculostomy function would be invaluable additions to our ability to assess candidates for this procedure and their eventual outcome. Further study and technical refinements will, no doubt, lead to many more potential uses for these procedures in the treatment of hydrocephalus and its associated etiologies. The challenge for neurosurgeons will be to define the operative indications and outcomes, while refining techniques for safely performing these useful procedures.