Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV)
1. Can the opening or fenestration become blocked?
Although the site of fenestration can become blocked, this is rare. Patients with a higher likelihood of this occurring are those in which the cause of their hydrocephalus has resulted in significant inflammation such as infection or hemorrhage.

2. Since there is no implanted hardware, does the patient need to be followed in the office with regular visits?
Yes, visits are recommended to insure that this form of treatment is best for that individual. MRI scans of the brain are still recommended to insure that the site of the opening shows adequate flow.

3. If someone has a shunt in place already, can they be considered for ETV?
Yes, if the type of hydrocephalus has been diagnosed as noncommunicating and a shunt malfunction occurs, that patient should be considered for an ETV.

Endoscopic Tumor Biopsy
1. Is there a chance that the diagnosis will not be made with endoscopic tumor biopsy?
Because limited samples of tumor are taken there is a risk that the diagnosis cannot be made. In reality, this event is highly unusual since confirmation of the diagnosis is typically made during the procedure.

Colloid Cyst Resection
1. Is the chance of tumor recurrence any higher with endoscopic colloid cyst removal?
There is no evidence to support the contention that endoscopic removal results in higher recurrence rates for colloid cysts. Typically the whole tumor can be removed with the endoscopic approach and any residual cyst wall that cannot be removed can usually be destroyed with electrical currents.

2. Can you control bleeding during the endoscopic tumor removal?
The development of compatible instruments for the endoscope has been rapid. As a result of these technological improvements, similar instruments used to control bleeding in routine neurosurgery are now used with the endoscope.

Endoscopic Cyst Fenestration
1. Can I expect the cyst to disappear after endoscopic cyst fenestration?
The goal of fenestration, either with the endoscope or using an open surgical route, is to normalize the pressures within the cyst. The cyst wall is not removed with any procedure and some evidence of cyst will always be present.

2. Can multiple cysts be treated with one procedure?
Many fenestrations can be performed during one procedure. This is a significant advantage to the patient since the alternative treatment would be the insertion of multiple shunt catheters for drainage.