Patient with a history of resection of a craniopharyngioma and placement of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt 7 years ago. Secondary obstructive hydrocephalus was also a factor in the case, due to compression of the 3rd ventricle and obstruction of the interventricular foramen or cerebral aqueduct, resulting from the growth of the craniopharyngioma. The hypothesis was that, due to hydrocephalus, the child had severe chronic headaches and needed constant readjustments of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt to regulate the cerebrospinal fluid within their ventricles. The diagnosis of hydrocephalus and shunt dysfunction, especially in children, tends to be difficult to diagnose due to the common symptoms, leading to multiple examinations, tests, and intracranial pressure. This patient was referred to the neurosurgical clinic after several visits to the emergency department, computed tomography imaging and laboratory tests, which were not able to elucidate the etiology of the headache. The brain4care sensor was chosen considering the risks of subjecting a patient to the invasive method to measure intracranial pressure (ICP).
How did the sensor help?
The brain4care sensor made it possible to visualize intracranial compliance through the P2/P1 ratio, which was altered at the beginning of monitoring and normalized after adjusting the VP shunt, a result compatible with the patient’s clinic.
Results presented::
Case Report: Paraguassu et al. Case Report: Untreatable Headache in a Child With Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Managed by Use of New Non-invasive Intracranial Pressure Waveform. February 2021 | Volume 15 | Article 601945.
