Intracerebral temperature in patients with hydrocephalus of varying aetiology

Brain temperature was measured at various depths beneath the pial surface in patients with hydrocephalus of varying aetiology. Temperature increased gradually with depth in all patients, with the highest temperature found in the ventricle. The difference between intraventricular and rectal temperatures (Δv-r) was greater in patients who underwent continuous ventricular drainage than in patients who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt (continuous ventricular drainage; 1.2 (SD 0.40)°C, mean (SD), n=5 v ventriculoperitoneal shunt; 0.4 (SD 0.45)°C, n=16; p v ventriculoperitoneal shunt; −0.7 (0.86)°C, n=16; p v 0.1 (SD 0.40)°C, n=5, p v −1.4 (0.90)°C, n=5, p