Treatment with
Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV)

For some patients, the neurosurgeon may decide to perform a procedure called an Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy or ETV rather than implant a shunt. 

• The choice of this treatment will depend on the cause of the hydrocephalus and the age of the patient. If suitable, it offers the advantage of not requiring the implantation of a device but, as with all hydrocephalus treatments, must be carefully monitored.      
• Having made an access hole in the skull, the neurosurgeon uses an endoscope with a camera and light to guide them into the brain’s third ventricle and create a small opening in its base. This allows excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to bypass the obstruction, flow out of the ventricle and be naturally reabsorbed.