Third Ventriculostomy

Some patients can be treated with an alternative procedure called an Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (often referred to as an ETV, Third Ventriculostomy, or Third Vent). For this operation, a tiny burr hole is made in the skull and a neuroendoscope (a small camera which is attached to medical instrument) is utilized to enter the brain. The physician will then make a small hole (several millimeters) in the floor of the third ventricle. This allows the CSF to flow from the blocked ventricles into the open spaces surrounding the brain.

If the operation is successful, it will eliminate the need for a shunt. However, not everyone with hydrocephalus can qualify for this type of operation. It is also meant for patients older that 6 months of age, and many physicians prefer that the patient is older than 2 or 3 years of age.

Although a Third Ventriculostomy eliminates the need for a shunt, it is by no means a cure for hydrocephalus.