The New Shuntscope

In the treatment of hydrocephalus, an alternative to Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) is the implantation of a shunt. The shunt is a foreign body that is not without risk. Such risks include infection, overdrainage, and underdrainage due to mechanical failures (valve obstruction, calcification of the catheters, disconnections, catheter misplacement, etc.). For all of these reasons, whenever possible, it is preferable to avoid placing a shunt to treat a hydrocephalic condition. The “best shunt” is “no shunt”.

When the decision has been made to implant a shunt, however, we have a very elegant solution to facilitate the placement of the ventricular catheter. By placing a small semi rigid scope with an outer diameter of only 1 mm inside the proximal ventricular catheter, the surgeon can reduce the risk of catheter misplacement by endoscopic guidance. Approximately 10 % of shunt revisions are due to proximal catheter misplacement.

In addition, this Shunt Scope can be a very useful tool for training young surgeons the shunt placement technic.
Reference: N° 28164SS

Field of Application:
Treatment of Hydrocephalus by endoscopic-assisted shunt placement.