ABSTRACT
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy [ETV] is currently being performed for patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, who also have preservation of communication between the subarachnoid space and the venous system, and in whom the basilar cisterns are still open. Despite the shunt complications, most children are shunt dependent permenantly or for many years. Recently, neuroendoscope is used to treat some of brain tumors, arachnoid cysts, some of congenital disorders and medullary diseases. The aime of this study was to evaluate primary results of neuroendoscopy in neurosurgery department. In this prospective study, all of the patients who were operated by neuroendoscope in neurosurgical department of Ghaem Hospital for 24 months were reviewed. Age, sex, underlying diseases, clinical findings, complications, CT or MRI findings before and after neuroendoscopy were studied. Data was collected in questionnaire and the processing of the results was achieved by SPSS [11.5] and statistical analysis with descriptive methods. From 30 patients in our study, 26 had obstructive hydrocephalus [two of them had intraventricular tumors and four cases had parenchymal tumors], 3 had arachnoid cysts, and one patient had loculated hydrocephalus. All of them have been operated by neuroendoscopy. From 26 patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, 4 had been operated by VP shunt before. From 26 patients undergoing neuroendoscopy for obstructive hydrocephalus, 14 cases within one week and 10 cases whitin one month after neuroedoscopic third ventriculostomy had normal size ventricules. The results were excellent in treatment of arachnoid cysts, intraventricular tumors, and loculated hydrocephalus too. With respect to excellent results of neuroendoscopy in treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus, arachnoid cysts, and shunt malfunction; and in regard to many complications and severe dependency in shunt surgery, neuroendoscope is recommended as the first step of treatment of these diseases