Treatment: Shunts
Burr hole
A burr hole is a small opening made in the skull through which a catheter or endoscope is passed during shunt or other neurosurgery.
In short: Burr hole
- It is a small hole drilled in the skull during surgery.
- It provides access to place a catheter or pass an endoscope.
- It is used in shunt surgery and procedures like ETV.
- It is a standard part of these neurosurgical procedures.
What it is
A burr hole is a small opening made in the skull, using a specialized drill, to provide access to the brain during neurosurgery. It is used in shunt surgery (to place a ventricular catheter) and in procedures such as endoscopic third ventriculostomy (to pass an endoscope).
Understanding Burr hole
To place a catheter into a ventricle or to pass an endoscope, the surgeon makes a small burr hole in the skull at a planned location, then passes the instrument through it into the brain. The burr hole is a standard, well-established part of these procedures and is much smaller than the openings used in larger brain surgeries. After the procedure, the small opening is managed appropriately. The location of the burr hole is planned based on the target (for example, a frontal or occipital approach to reach a ventricle). Understanding the burr hole helps families picture how access is gained during shunt surgery and endoscopic procedures.
Why it matters
Understanding the burr hole helps families picture how surgeons access the brain to place a shunt catheter or perform an endoscopic procedure, through a small, standard opening in the skull.
Common questions
What is a burr hole?
A small opening drilled in the skull during surgery.
What is it used for?
To place a catheter or pass an endoscope into the brain.
Is it used in shunt surgery?
Yes — and in procedures like ETV.
Bottom line
A burr hole is a small skull opening through which a catheter or endoscope is passed during shunt surgery and procedures like ETV.
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