Search
slit ventricle syndrome
Etiology:
- occurs in a minority of patients with ventriculostomy
Pathology:
- shunt is nearly blocked, but still barely flowing
- absence of CSF within the ventricles
- expansion of the brain
- increased intracranial pressure (may be very high)
Clinical manifestations:
- usually presents years after shunt placement or revision
- headache
- lethargy (variable)
- nausea/vomiting (variable)
- symptoms may be intermittent
- over drainage may be associated with positional headaches relieved when supine
Radiology:
- very small or 'slit-like' ventricles on neuroimaging (MRI of brain, CT of brain)
Management:
- observation (minimally symptomatic)
- treat as migraine
- ventriculostomy revision
- temporarily block ventriculostomy drainage to expand the ventricles
- careful monitoring of intracranial pressure
- risk of coma
- endoscopic third ventriculostomy for aqueductal stenosis
General
postoperative complication
disease/disorder primarily affecting brain
syndrome
References
- UCLA Neurosurgery: Slit Ventricle Syndrome
http://neurosurgery.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=1123&ref=93&action=detail