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INTRODUCTION: Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a common neurosurgical pathological conditon that can occur in isolation or along with intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhage and is associated with poor outcome. Hydrocephalus associated with IVH is often treated with external ventricular drain (EVD) placement, although occlusion and replacement of the drain are common. METHODS: A prospectively maintained database was retrospectively searched for consecutive patients who presented with IVH between September 2020 and Febuary 2023 who were treated with an EVD or the IRRAflow. Pretreatment and posttreatment noncontrast computed tomography scans were segmented to determine IVH volumes. Change in hematoma volume, catheter related conversion and infections, in-hospital mortality, shunt dependency, and symptom resolution or improvement were recorded for outcome assessment. RESULTS: A total of 51 patients were included (21 in the active irrigation and drainage IRRAflow group vs. 30 in the passive EVD group. Demographic, disease severity, and presenting variables betweeen the groups were statistically similar. Mean hematoma volume change (8.8 ± 11.3 vs. 17.7 ± 19.4 mL, p = 0.0459) of IVH was significantly lower in the EVD group than the IRRAflow group. No. of days catheter was put in was longer in the EVD group compared to IRRAflow (15.2 ± 10.0 vs. 9.4 ± 4.5; p = 0.0019). On multivaritate logistic regression, shunt dependency on follow-up was higher in the passive EVD group compared to active irrigation and drainage group (p = 0.0215). CONCLUSIONS: Active irrigation with drainage along with CSF exchange for IVH patients appears to be superor to passive drainage alone using EVD.
Baig et al. (Fri,) studied this question.