The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 41, 146-149, Copyright © 1986 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Communicating hydrocephalus: a reversible complication of the Mustard operation with serial hemodynamics and long-term follow-up
T Dillon, W Berman Jr, SM Yabek, R Seigel, B Akl and J Wernly
Severe superior vena caval (SVC) obstruction following the Mustard
operation resulted in substantially increased intracranial pressure in 3
patients. A pathophysiological mechanism is postulated to explain the
cerebral edema in 1 and the communicating hydrocephalus in 2. Following
surgical relief of the obstruction in the latter 2, there was a decrease in
both the rate of head growth and the ventricular size. It is of note that
despite the angiographic appearance of azygous decompression, the pressure
elevation from the SVC obstruction was transmitted to the brain. The
long-term follow-up at three and four years of the 2 infants with
communicating hydrocephalus suggests that aggressive treatment is
compatible with a favorable outcome.