Background: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is considered a successful tool for the management of obstructive hydrocephalus. A higher failure rate in infants is reported in many works of literature.
Methods: Thirty-two patients under the age of one year were operated on for obstructive hydrocephalus using the Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) at both the Neurosurgery Department of Benha University and Benha Children Hospitals between July 2018 and July 2020 were included in this study.
Results: Ages ranged between 10 and 320 days with a median age of 131 days (IQR=60-200). There is a significant difference in age between infants with success and failure outcomes. Idiopathic aqueduct stenosis was found in 100% of the succeeded patients and in 41.7% of the failed patients which is statistically insignificant. A Higher success rate of a moderate course of macrocephaly than a rapid course with a higher failure rate is statistically significant.
Conclusion: The success rate in infant patients especially those with an age is less than 1 year is not as favorable as in older children. In our study, possible prognostic factors for the success of ETV are older infants, idiopathic etiology of obstructed hydrocephalus, and moderate course of macrocephaly.