Objective  To investigate the efficiency of adjustable shunt drainage in ventriculoperitoneal drainage (VPS) within 6 months for children with congenital hydrocephalus.

  Methods  Totally 89 children with congenital hydrocephalus were randomly divided into VPS group (n=45, treated with VPS by adjustable shunt) and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) group (n=44, treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy). The therapeutic effect and prognosis of the two groups were compared.

  Results  The curative effect of VPS group was significantly better than that of ETV group (P < 0.05). The amount of bleeding during operation in VPS group was significantly more than that in ETV group (P < 0.05), and the number of children with successful operation and with infection after operation were significantly higher than those in ETV group (P < 0.05). The frontal angle width and the third ventricle width in ETV group and VPS group at 6 months after operation were significantly better than those before operation (P < 0.05), and the frontal angle width and the third ventricle width in VPS group at 6 months after operation were better than those in ETV group, but there were no significant differences (P>0.05). Six months after operation, the scores of fine motor behavior, large motor behavior, language ability, adaptability, personal-social behavior and DQ value in VPS group were significantly higher than those in ETV group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in DQ at 2 weeks after operation between children below 1 year of age and with 1 to 2 years of age in both groups (P>0.05). DQ of children with age of less than 1 year old at 9 weeks and 6 months after operation was significantly higher than that of children with 1 to 2 years age in both roups (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Application of adjustable shunt drainage in VPS can effectively improve the therapeutic effect, the prognosis and cognitive function of children.