Endoscopic (ETV+CPC) vs shunt for infant hydrocephalus
Official title: Endoscopic versus Shunt Treatment of Hydrocephalus in Infants
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11400233 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This compares an endoscopic procedure called ETV+CPC to standard shunt surgery for babies under one year with hydrocephalus to learn which leads to similar thinking and development one year after surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $21,660 |
| NIH project number | 3U01NS107486-06S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400233 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants aged 12 months or younger with hydrocephalus who require surgical treatment at participating pediatric neurosurgery centers are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
Children older than 12 months, infants whose condition does not require surgery, or those with anatomy that makes ETV+CPC unsafe are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
This multicenter effort enrolls infants 12 months old or younger who need surgery for hydrocephalus and treats them at pediatric neurosurgery centers in North America. Each baby receives either ETV+CPC (an endoscopic procedure that opens fluid pathways and cauterizes the choroid plexus) or a standard cerebrospinal fluid shunt, with follow-up care as usual. Doctors measure cognitive development using the Bayley-III Cognitive Scale at 12 months after surgery and also track safety and complication rates. The study focuses on whether families can avoid lifelong shunt dependence without losing developmental outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow more infants to avoid lifelong shunt hardware and its complications without harming their cognitive development.
How similar studies have gone: Previous HCRN and other studies have shown ETV+CPC can be safe and lead to shunt-free outcomes in many infants, but direct comparison of cognitive outcomes to shunting is a new question.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kestle, John — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Kestle, John
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Endoscopic treatment vs shunt for infant hydrocephalus
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.