Diagnosis and Treatment of Sylvian Aqueduct Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Sylvian aqueduct syndrome is a rare complication after ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt surgery and is not easily diagnosed. Methods: A 26-year-old male with obstructive hydrocephalus due to tectal glioma was treated with a V-P shunt surgery in another hospital. After the surgery, the patient developed an intractable disturbance of consciousness. When the V-P shunt pressure was raised or lowered, the patient’s consciousness disorder still could not be improved. The patient was diagnosed with Sylvian aqueduct syndrome, a rare complication after V-P shunt operation. Results: The paper clarifies the treatment experience with simultaneous endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and tectum gliomas biopsy, postoperative pathology suggestive of fibrillary astrocytoma; after surgery, the Sylvian aqueduct syndrome was cured and the patient recovered well. Conclusions: The preferred treatment for obstructive hydrocephalus caused by tumors in the Pineal region is the ETV operation. If an ETV operation and biopsy operation are performed simultaneously, more details need to be noted.