Endoscopic management of trapped fourth ventricle using the posterior fossa route

摘要

TFV is an uncommon problem as is evident from the fact that the authors managed only 18 patients over 17 years, roughly one patient a year. However, it is a difficult problem to deal with as the fourth ventricle shunts that are commonly used to treat this condition are prone to malpositioning during surgery and also frequently malfunction. Endoscopic techniques that came into vogue during the 1990s have been suggested as the ideal procedure for the management of this entity. Essentially, the main cause of a TFV, namely, the aqueductal obstruction, is addressed using an endoscopic technique, and hence it is the most rational of all surgeries for this condition.