The body may react negatively to the shunt because it is made of foreign material. To accommodate normal growth and to ensure long term function shunts in infants and children are replaced frequently until adulthood. A child may require as many as five shunts during this period. A neurosurgeon periodically checks shunt function in adults. Third Ventriculostomy Third ventriculostomy involves entering the brain through the bones at the top of the skull.
Excess fluid drains through the hole into the subarachnoid space.
When used to treat blockage caused by tumor or by aqueductal stenosis, success rates are slightly higher. In hydrocephalus caused by hemorrhaging or infection, they are slightly lower. There are few risks associated with third ventriculostomy. CSF drains through a hole in the ventricle floor instead of a valve, so there is no risk of overdrainage. The absence of a tube eliminates the risk associated with a shunt.