Dear Editor:

We congratulate the authors on a detailed review of choroid plexus coagulation for hydrocephalus [1]. We wish to point out that one of the larger series of choroid plexus coagulation (CPC) for hydranencephaly or near hydranencephaly [2] was not identified in their literature search and was not mentioned. This occurred because the terminology used for CPC in our prior report was endoscopic choroid plexus cauterization (ECPC) rather than coagulation. This does point out the importance of authors using terminology that is more commonly used, or at least having that term as a key word, so that the report will be picked up more readily in a literature search. In addition, the onus is on the authors of a review to avoid missing pertinent reports by using a search strategy that is not too specific and narrow.

Nonetheless, we think the readers of the current review should be aware of our study [2], wherein we prospectively randomized infants with hydranencephaly and near hydranencephaly to have either ECPC or ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). Of 17 patients, ten were randomized to receive ECPC. ECPC was technically successful in nine, of whom one failed and went on to VPS. We concluded that ECPC is an acceptable alternative to VPS for treatment of hydranencephaly and near hydranencephaly and may avoid the complications of shunting.