Endoscopic procedure versus shunts for infant hydrocephalus
Official title: Endoscopic versus Shunt Treatment of Hydrocephalus in Infants
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11400234 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research compares an endoscopic approach (ETV+CPC) with standard cerebrospinal fluid shunts for infants under 12 months with hydrocephalus to see if their thinking and development are similarly good 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) | $52,775 |
| NIH project number | 3U01NS107486-06S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400234 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants ≤12 months corrected age with hydrocephalus who require surgical treatment at participating tertiary pediatric neurosurgery centers are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
Older children, infants whose hydrocephalus does not need surgical treatment, or those with anatomic/medical reasons that make ETV+CPC unsafe may not benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
If your baby has hydrocephalus and needs surgery, this project enrolls infants 12 months and younger at pediatric neurosurgery centers. Some babies will receive endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization (ETV+CPC) and others will receive a standard CSF shunt, with treatment decided per the trial protocol. Doctors will measure cognitive and developmental outcomes one year after surgery using the Bayley-III test and track safety and complications. The goal is to learn whether choosing the shunt-free option leads to similar development while potentially avoiding long-term shunt problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families might have a safer shunt-free surgical option without worsening their child's early cognitive development.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work from the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network and others has shown ETV+CPC can be safe and allow shunt freedom for many infants, but direct comparison of one-year cognitive outcomes versus shunting is largely untested.
Where this research is happening
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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.