Your child had an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). This is done to treat hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles (spaces) inside the brain. The buildup puts pressure on the brain. The ETV lowers the amount of fluid and pressure in the ventricles. Your surgery care team will see your child regularly to make sure the recovery is going well.

• Talk to your child's surgery care team about: 
  • how to care for the incision
  • what activities are OK
  • what your child can eat/drink
• If your child has pain or is uncomfortable from fever, and your care team says it's OK, you can give acetaminophen (Tylenol^® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand). Be sure to follow the package directions exactly.
• Schedule follow-up visits with the care team as needed. They will check that your child is recovering and the ETV is still working.

Your child:

• has pain not relieved by acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• vomits more than once
• has a fever
• has redness, swelling, or oozing at the incision site

Your child:

• has a change in behavior or seems irritable, extremely tired, or confused
• has a severe headache, stiff neck, or headache with nausea or vomiting
• has loss of appetite, is very thirsty, or needs to pee a lot more than normal
• has a change in eye movements or vision, or can't look upward
• seems dehydrated: signs include a dry, sticky mouth; not peeing as much as usual; crying with little or no tears; sunken eyes; being very sleepy
• is younger than 1 year old and the soft spot seems to be sticking out or bulging
• is hard to wake up
• has a seizure

What happens during ETV? During ETV, the surgeon puts a small, lighted camera (called an endoscope) inside the brain. Then, while looking at pictures from the camera on a monitor, the surgeon makes a tiny hole in the bottom of the ventricle to let CSF drain from the brain. This lowers the pressure on the brain. 

Does ETV cure hydrocephalus? It depends on what is causing the hydrocephalus. ETV does usually help lower the pressure in the brain. This can help with symptoms caused by high pressure in the brain (such as an enlarged head, fussiness, abnormal eye movements, and vomiting). If hydrocephalus has made a child's head larger, the ETV may help it get smaller, but this can take a long time.

How long does ETV work? This varies from child to child. Sometimes, the tiny hole that the surgeon makes during ETV closes and the pressure in the brain builds up again. The surgery care team will follow your child closely and watch for signs that the ETV is no longer working.