Endoscopic surgery for thalamic hemorrhage: a technical note

BackgroundApproximately 10% to 15% of cases of ICH involve the thalamus. Evacuation of a thalamic hematoma by craniotomy is associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Evacuation by endoscopic surgery is less invasive but is relatively inefficient because of limited visualization of the surgical field. Therefore, a procedure using a polypropylene endoscopic sheath was developed to improve endoscopic visualization and the efficiency of endoscopic evacuation of thalamic hematoma.MethodsFrom September 2004 to September 2005, 7 patients underwent endoscopic evacuation of posterial-lateral type thalamic hemorrhage that had ruptured into the lateral ventricle of the trigum and caused acute hydrocephalus. The clinical evaluation included pre- and postoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, 30-day mortality rate, and Glasgow Outcome Scale score 6 months later. The surgical procedure was performed with the patient in the supine position while under general anesthesia. A 3-cm incision was made across the occipital-parietal scalp ipsilateral to the thalamic hematoma. A burr hole, 1 cm in diameter, was drilled on the Keen's point, which is located 3 cm posterior and 3 cm superior to the pinna. A transcortical intraventricular puncture was made with a rigid endoscopic tube. A 2.7-mm endoscope and the necessary surgical instruments were then inserted through this tube, permitting the simultaneous removal of hematoma in the intraventricular space and thalamus. A surgical demonstration of this technique to evacuate thalamic hemorrhage in a patient with acute hydrocephalus is provided herein.ResultsThe preoperative mean GCS score was 8.4 and the postoperative mean GCS score was 9.4. The 30-day mortality rate was 15% and none of the patients developed shunt-dependent hydrocephalus. The average Glasgow Outcome Scale score was 3.7 six months later.ConclusionUse of a rigid endoscopic sheath in combination with an endoscope and an approach from Keen's point to the collateral trigone of the lateral ventricle improves the efficiency of evacuating thalamic hematomas and prevents shunt-dependent hydrocephalus.