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CC BY 4.0 · Indian Journal of Neurotrauma
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1808074
Letter to the Editor

Catheter Occlusion in External Ventricular Drainage: The “VISTA” Mnemonic

Luis Rafael Moscote-Salazar 
1   Department of Research, Colombian Clinical Research Group in Neurocritical Care, Bogota, Colombia
2   Department of Research, AV Healthcare Innovators, LLC, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
3   Department of Research, International Consortium of Neurological Research, Minneapolis, United States
4   Department of Research, School of Medicine, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia
,
Ariana Chacon
5   Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
,
Maria Pula Fernandez-Gomez
6   Department of Research, Valerio Latinamerican Foundation, Miami, Florida, United States
,
William Andres Flore Perdomo
1   Department of Research, Colombian Clinical Research Group in Neurocritical Care, Bogota, Colombia
,
Tariq Janjua 
7   Department of Research, Aneuclose, Eagan, Minnesota, United States
,
Amit Agrawal
8   Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Saket Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
› Institutsangaben
Funding None.
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Introduction

External ventricular drains (EVDs) are common in neurocritical care for monitoring and treating intracranial pressure (ICP).[1] Despite their usefulness, occlusion is a well-known and potentially life-threatening complication. Causes of obstruction include intracranial hypotension, coagulated blood, tissue debris, and collapse of the ventricular wall around the catheter ([Table 1]). Early detection and timely intervention are paramount to keeping the catheter useful and avoiding secondary brain injury.

Table 1

Causes of cessation of CSF flow in the EVD

Mechanical

 Kink/disconnection

 Catheter malposition

 Filter occlusion

 Hypotension with collapsed ventricles

Cellular debris

 Blood

 Tissue fragments

 Ventriculitis

Diversion

 CSF leak away from the site of EVD

 Over-drainage

 Decompression on the contralateral side

Abbreviations: CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; EVD, external ventricular drain.




Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
21. April 2025

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