• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.sup2
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• pp.309-315
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• 2001

The term slit ventricle syndrome(SVS) refers to an episodic occurrence of headache, vomiting, and possibly some degree of impaired consciousness in shunted hydrocephalic children in whom slit-like ventricles are seen on CT scan or MRI. Authors present 6 cases with SVS who were treated at our institute for last 10 years. From 1986 to 1996, 821 patients underwent shunt surgery for hydrocephalus. The etiology of hydrocephalus included brain tumor(140 patients), post-hemorrhagic(62 patients), idiopathic normotensive hydrocephalus(64 patients), post-meningitic( 58 patients), post-traumatic(54 patients), congenital(48 patients), neurocysticercosis(31 patients), and unknown etiology(364 patients). During the mean follow-up duration of 68 months, 232 shunt revisions were performed by a revision rate of 1.28 per patient. The incidence of SVS was 0.7%(6 patients). Most of them have been operated on in infancy. Time interval from the first operation to the development of slit-ventricle syndrome ranged from 4 to 8 years, the mean was 6 years. Shuntogram showed patent shunt in all patients. Two patients with less severe clinical symptoms improved with conservative treatment. These patients were not measured ICP because of good hospital course. One patient showed high ICP and needed only revision with same pressure valve as previous shunt. Low ICP was noted in 3 patients. Pressure augmentation using an anti-siphon device(ASD) or upgrading valve system were necessary in these patients. The authors stress that determining type of SVS is the first step in treatment planning and that the best treatment is a strategy aimed at resolving the specific type of SVS responsible for the symptoms.