View clinical trials related to Hydrocephalus.
Filter by:The idea is to assess the predictive value of flow magnetic resonance imaging (flow MRI) for patient suffering normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) planned for surgery. By now, the depletive lumbar puncture is the best test assessing the efficacy of a forthcoming surgery. The idea is to demonstrate that flow MRI can be as effective as lumbar puncture in term of predictive value of surgery response. In that way, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics are evaluated by a single non invasive examination. CSF flow is measured at the Sylvius' aqueduct, cervical, arachnoid space and 4th ventricle levels.
Failure of ventricular catheters remains a significant problem in patients with hydrocephalus. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of a simple instrument assisted by a smart phone application software can achieve a more precise placement of ventricular catheters than the standard free-hand placement technique.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunts are the standard of care for patients with communicating hydrocephalus, but they have a high failure rate - up to 40% fail within 1 year and 50% fail within 2 years. It has long been assumed that endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) would not work in this population and is better suited to patients with obstructive hydrocephalus (such as from a tumor blocking cerebral-spinal fluid (CSF) pathways). However, as scientists learn more about CSF and the way our brains absorb this fluid, they have learned that this may not be so straight-forward. Recent small studies have shown that ETVs can work in a good percentage of children with communicating hydrocephalus, too. But no randomized controlled trials have been done to compare these two treatments directly to determine which will provide children with a better prognosis, fewer surgeries over their lifetime, less time in the hospital and the greatest chance at as normal a life as possible. The investigators will conduct a trial to compare these two surgical treatments where patients will be randomized to receive either a shunt or an ETV. Because ETV has been shown to have a high failure rate in newborns, the investigators will not include these patients and instead will study patients who come to Duke University with communicating hydrocephalus between the ages of 1 year and 18 years. The study will include patients with ventricular shunts who are in need of revision and patients who were just diagnosed and need their first shunt. All patients who agree to participate will be randomized to receive either an ETV or a shunt. The study team will follow them for one year from the time of the surgery and will determine what percentage of patients require further CSF-related surgeries, how long they go after their surgery before they need another surgery, how much time they spend in the hospital and what percentage of patients suffer CSF-infections or other problems related to the surgery or their hydrocephalus. The study team will examine these results and determine if ETV is a safer or more effective treatment for children with communicating hydrocephalus than is a ventricular shunt.
The purpose of this study is to determine the role of Proteomics and Metallomics in Cerebral Vasospasm following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
The goal of our study is to verify the effectiveness of the shunt and to identify the most sensitive criteria to select patients for surgery. The study is designed to assess improvement in walking and balance (gait), urinary function and memory after shunting. In addition, the study aims to identify the most accurate and sensitive tools to measure improvement for our patients.
This multicenter, prospective study of children with hydrocephalus will examine whether or not ventricle size is associated with poor cognitive outcomes. It is expected that results will indicate larger ventricular size at 6 months after surgery for the initial treatment of hydrocephalus will relate to poorer cognitive outcomes. This study is being conducted by the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN), a network established to conduct multi-institutional clinical trials on pediatric hydrocephalus.
The intracranial pressure (ICP), defined by the hydrostatic pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), is a key parameter for diagnosing and treating several neurosurgical diseases. Continuous ICP monitoring has an important place in neuro-intensive care for patients with severe head trauma and severe meningeal hemorrhage. Until now the assessment of ICP requires invasive methods, with a pressure transducer either within the ventricular CSF or within the brain parenchyma. The pressure sensor placement is performed in a neurosurgery department. These invasive methods have also disadvantages: highest risk of infections, catheter misplaced, and risk of bleeding. All these justify the development of a non invasive method. The Biophysics Laboratory (School of Medicine of Clermont-Ferrand) described that the intra-labyrinthic pressure (ILP) modify the functional activities of the outer hair cells in the cochlea. Cochlear activities' recording is non-invasive and technically simple. A probe is gently inserted into the outer portion of the external ear canal. Anatomical studies showed communication between the subarachnoid spaces and the perilymphatic compartment by the cochlear aqueduct. Thereby, increases in ICP are transferred to increases in intra-cochlear pressure, which is detected as modifications in cochlear activities. CSF dynamic tests, as constant flow infusion test, are conducted in patients in the diagnosis of the idiopathic adult hydrocephalus syndrome. Artificial CSF is infused through a lumbar needle, into the CSF space at a constant rate, and the corresponding rise in ICP is registered and analyzed. The objective of this study is to assess prospectively the accuracy and the precision of a new method for non invasive ICP measurement (using cochlear activities) compared with invasive gold standard CSF pressure measurement during CSF dynamic tests.
Background: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a standard procedure for the treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus in children and adults. Perforation of the third ventricle floor which is part of the hypothalamic-pituitary neuronal network is the key of this surgical procedure. Purpose: There are no prospective data available about the endocrine effects after ETV in children and adults. The principal aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the variability of hypothalamic-pituitary hormones and clinical effects in children and adults after ETV in order to plan a multicentric study.
A novel computerised neuropsychological test battery for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) has been developed. The aim is to provide the clinician with a free of charge, standardized tool, assessing the cognitive decline or improvements in the cognitive domains specific for NPH. Results from the battery indicate good reliability and validity for the computerized tests Results from the computerised battery seems promising. However, ability for the battery to detect cognitive improvements after a shunt operation remains to be tested. Study objectives 1. Improvement after shunt. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of shunting on neuropsychological performance in NPH patients, using a computerized battery. 2. Feasibility. The ability to complete the test battery by the intended patient group will be tested. 3. Baseline profile. Baseline scores for NPH-patients will be compared to scores of healthy individuals (from previous study).
In treating idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus with a shunt there is always a risk of underdrainage or overdrainage. The hypothesis is tested whether treatment of patients with an adjustable valve preset at the highest opening pressure (OPV), leads to comparable clinical results with less subdural effusions than in a control group with an opening pressure preset and kept fixed at a low pressure level.