Efficacy of Endoscopic Evacuation of Intraventricular Hematoma

The role of endoscopic surgery for intraventricular hemorrhage remains controversial. We compared the surgical results and outcomes of intraventricular hematoma associated with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage between patients who underwent external ventricular drainage (n＝6) and those who received both endoscopic surgery and external ventricular drainage (n＝6). The period of external ventricular drainage was significantly shorter in the endoscopic surgery group (4.7 days vs. 10.5 days), leading to prevention of meningitis and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. However, there was no significant difference in the rate of patients who required cerebrospinal fluid shunt surgery and the hospitalization period between the two groups. The functional outcome at one and three months tended to be more favorable in the endoscopic surgery group, but the differences were not significant. Endoscopic surgery may be an effective treatment for intraventricular hemorrhage, but a larger study is needed to prove it.