Abstract
The tympanic intracranial pressure (ICP) measurement technique was used to assess
intracranial pressure over several months in two patient populations.
In the first study, 43 shunted hydrocephalic children, aged 4-17 years, were tested
over a period of 18 months when clinically well. Of these 11 (26 %) were later admitted
with symptoms suggesting acute shunt blockage. The tympanic ICP measurement correlated
with clinical and/or operative findings in 10 cases.
In the second study, illustrated by a case report, repeated testing over a period
of 5 months in children with chronic symptoms suggestive of periods of increased ICP,
demonstrated a correlation between symptoms and ICP and helped influence management
decisions.
Tympanic ICP measurement in shunted children is a valuable tool in the assessment
of acute and chronic shunt malfunction. Serial testing was shown to be clinically
useful in the long-term management of these patients as a diagnostic indicator of
pressure variation and shunt dysfunction.
Key words
Shunt function - Non-invasive - Intracranial pressure
