Anthropometry for Ventricular Puncture

50 Anthropometry for Ventricular Puncture


Michele Bailo, Filippo Gagliardi, Alfio Spina, Cristian Gragnaniello, Anthony J. Caputy, and Pietro Mortini


50.1 Indications


Acute hydrocephalus.


Intracranial hypertension:


Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage.


Direct measurement of intracranial pressure.


Subarachnoid/intraventricular hemorrhage.


Intraoperative brain relaxation.


CSF infection.


50.2 Frontal Horn (Kocher’s Point) (Fig. 50.1)


50.2.1 Patient Positioning


Position: The patient is positioned supine.


Head: The head is slightly flexed (30°), in neutral position.


50.2.2 Skin Incision


Side: The side is usually the nondominant (unless clinically indicated).


Starting point: Incision starts about 3 cm lateral to midline, over the coronal suture (usually located 11–13 cm along the nasion-to-inion line) or just posterior to it.


Course: It runs straight anteriorly, parallel to the midline.


Ending point: It ends about 2 cm anterior to the coronal suture.


50.2.3 Craniectomy


Burr hole


The burr hole is made about 2.5–3 cm lateral to the midline, 1 cm anterior to the coronal suture.


Critical Structures

Arachnoid granulations.


Dural venous lakes.


Underlying brain parenchyma.


50.2.4 Dural Opening


The dura is opened in a cruciate fashion.


Bipolar electrocautery is used for dural opening.


Critical Structures

Venous lakes and bridging veins.


50.2.5 Intradural Exposure and Catheter Insertion


The cortical surface is coagulated with bipolar electrocautery.


The catheter is directed perpendicularly to the cortical surface by aiming in the coronal plane, toward the medial canthus of the ipsilateral eye and in the antero-posterior plane toward the tragus.



The catheter is advanced with the stylet until CSF comes out (5-6 cm in depth; it might be less with markedly dilated ventricles).


The catheter is further advanced without stylet for about 1 cm.


50.2.6 Critical Issues


The stylet has not to be advanced for more than 7 cm.


If CSF does not come out, following aspects have to be taken into consideration:


Wrong site of burr hole or incorrect direction of catheter insertion.


Slit ventricles.


Brain shift.


Air entrance in ventricles.


Catheter obstruction by brain tissue, blood clot, or air lock.


Intra-cerebral hematomas along catheter’s path.


Intraventricular bleeding from choroid plexus.


50.3 Alternative Access To The Frontal Horn


50.3.1 Kaufman’s Point (Supraorbital) (Fig. 50.2)


Entry point: Catheter entry point is 4 cm above the orbital rim and 3 cm lateral to the midline.


Direction: The stylet is directed toward the midline.


Depth: The stylet must be advanced for 6-7 cm.


Ventricular target: Ventricular target corresponds to the frontal horn. Occipital horn can be reached by the same trajectory.


Advantage: Accuracy rate might exceed that of Kocher access.


Critical issues: Minimal cosmetic deficit.


50.3.2 Transorbital (Fig. 50.3)


Technique:


Superior eyelid has to be retracted forward and upward.


Ocular globe is displaced downward.


Entry point: A 18-gauge spinal needle is placed in the rostral third of the orbital roof (1 cm behind the supra-ciliar arch), just medial to the mid-pupillary line.


Direction: The stylet is directed 45° according to the axial plane (orbito-meatal line) and 15–20° medial to a vertical line (cranio-caudal line).


Depth: The stylet must be advanced from 3 to 8.5 cm, according to the ventricular size.


Ventricular target: Ventricular target corresponds to the frontal horn (1–2 cm superior to the foramen of Monro).


Critical issues:


Risk of damage at supraorbital neurovascular bundle, or frontal lobe vessels.


Intra-orbital CSF leakage.


50.4 Occipital Horn


50.4.1 Patient Positioning


Supine position


Head: The head is flexed 15-20°, rotated as much as possible to the contralateral side.


Possible positioning of a roll under the ipsilateral shoulder.


Prone position


The patient is prone, in neutral position.


Feb 17, 2020 | Posted by in NEUROSURGERY | Comments Off on Anthropometry for Ventricular Puncture

Full access? Get Clinical Tree

Get Clinical Tree app for offline access