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Results of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting

Brian Thiessen, MD, FRCPC; Lisa M. DeAngelis, MD

Arch Neurol. 1998;55:705-710.

Objective  To assess the clinical benefit of ventriculoperitoneal shunting in patients suffering from radiotherapy-induced leukoencephalopathy.

Design  Retrospective review of a single institutional experience.

Patients  Thirty-one patients with the postradiotherapy syndrome received ventriculoperitoneal shunts. All had a history of cranial irradiation, progressive ventriculomegaly visible on neuroimaging scans, and neurologic decline; other causes of hydrocephalus were excluded. All 31 patients had cognitive deficits: 30 had gait disturbance and 24 were incontinent.

Results  Twenty-four (80%) of 30 assessable patients achieved symptomatic improvement an average of 1.6 months after ventriculoperitoneal shunting. Incontinence and gait problems were more likely to improve than cognition. Sixteen (53%) of 30 patients achieved a good overall functional outcome, and incontinence was the only feature significantly associated with good outcome (P=.04). Neither cerebrospinal fluid–opening pressure nor tap tests predicted improvement from ventriculoperitoneal shunting. Median duration of improvement was 6 months, and median survival after receiving the shunt was 14.5 months. Shunt-related complications occurred in 10 (33%) of 30 patients, with 1 fatal outcome.

Conclusions  Our results from ventriculoperitoneal shunting in selected patients with radiation-induced hydrocephalus suggest potential benefit. Improvement is incomplete and temporary, but can improve quality of life. Reliable predictors of successful shunt outcome were not identified.

From the Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.

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