Comparison of Pressure Wave and Dynamic Parameters in CSF before and after Shunt Surgery

In a patient with a pressure programmable valve, a method to objectively evaluate shunt function is not yet established for when a shunt malfunction is doubted, and a symptom are not improved following changing back the pressure setting. The present study examined using the wave pattern data from conventional intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring before and after shunt operations in 7 patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. All four cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics parameters: pulse amplitude, pressure fluctuations, ICP pressure rising rate, and CSF outflow resistance, decreased significantly, along with improved CSF circulation after the shunt surgery. Therefore, in vivo assessment of shunt function may be possible by evaluating these parameters.