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Purpose: Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt is the gold standard for non-obstructive hydrocephalus. Despite advances in material, infection prevention, and valve technologies, failure can still occur. The aim of this article is to present a comprehensive study based on the experience of a reference center in pediatric neurosurgery in Rio de Janeiro with the use of the ventriculo-gallbladder shunt as an alternative to peritoneal failure., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2023 of patients diagnosed with cerebrospinal fluid shunt dysfunction due to peritoneal failure and submitted to ventriculo-gallbladder shunt as an alternative in a reference center of Rio de Janeiro., Results: From 2018 to 2023, 18 peritoneal failures were diagnosed. Among them, 10 patients (55.5%) were selected for ventriculo-gallbladder shunt (VGS). Different causes were responsible for the hydrocephalus in these patients. VGS was placed at a mean age of 35.4 months. Four patients had temporary complications: 2 self-limited diarrheas in the first month and 2 shunt infections. After the resolution of the infection, a new VGS was placed successfully. The average follow-up was 18.8 months (follow-up 9-68 months) without further issues., Conclusion: VGS is a viable option for patients facing peritoneal failure. This paper provides valuable insights into the surgical technique and outcomes associated with this alternative., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: The goal of this study was to analyze the factors that have an impact on morbidity and mortality in patients with myelomeningocele (MMC)., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze factors associated with MMC that influence the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Data were collected from medical records of children who underwent the primary repair of MMC at the Fernandes Figueira Institute-Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IFF-Fiocruz) between January 1995 and January 2015, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. The following variables were analyzed: demographic characteristics (gestational age, sex, and birth weight); clinical features (head circumference at birth, anatomical and functional levels of MMC, hydrocephalus, symptomatic Chiari malformation type II, neurogenic bladder, and urinary tract infection [UTI]); and surgical details such as timing of repair of MMC, age at first shunt placement, shunt surgery modality (elective or emergency), concurrent surgery (correction of MMC and shunt insertion in the same surgical procedure), incidence and cause of shunt dysfunction, use of external ventricular drain, transfontanelle puncture, surgical wound complications prior to shunting, and endoscopic treatment of hydrocephalus., Results: A total of 231 patients with MMC were included in the analysis. Patients were followed for periods ranging from 1 to 20 years, with a mean of 6.9 years. The frequency of shunt placement was observed mainly among patients with MMC at the highest spinal levels (p < 0.01). The main causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with MMC were shunt failures, diagnosed in 91 of 193 cases (47.2%) of hydrocephalus, and repeated UTIs, in 129 of 231 cases (55.8%) of MMC; these were the main causes of hospitalization and death. Head circumference ≥ 38 cm at birth was found to be a significant risk factor for shunt revision (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.092-1.354). Also, the lumbar functional level of MMC was associated with less revision than upper levels (p < 0.014; 95% CI 0.143-0.805). There was a significant association between recurrent UTI and thoracic functional level., Conclusions: Macrocephaly at birth and higher levels of the defect have an impact on worse outcome and, therefore, are a challenge to the daily practice of pediatric neurosurgery.

Introduction/Background: Posterior fossa tumors are common in the pediatric population, and various surgical approaches have been described to reach them based on their specific location. This paper aims to review the most common posterior fossa approaches in pediatric patients and present illustrative cases to provide insights into their successful application in specific clinical scenarios. Case report: Three cases are presented, each demonstrating a different approach and surgical outcome. Case 1 involved a telovelar approach for the resection of a medulloblastoma, resulting in complete removal without neurological deficits. Case 2 required a combination of telovelar and supracerebellar infratentorial approaches to achieve gross total resection of a pilocytic astrocytoma. In Case 3, an occipital transtentorial approach was utilized to access and completely resect an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor. Connclusion: The paper discusses the telovelar and transvermian approaches, the supracerebellar infratentorial approach, the transtentorial suboccipital approach, and intraventricular endoscopy as individual or combined approaches for posterior fossa tumors. The presented cases highlight the importance of tailoring the surgical approach to each patient and provide valuable insights for neurosurgeons managing similar clinical scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]