Drainage, Irrigation, and Fibrinolytic Therapy (DRIFT) for Adult Intraventricular Hemorrhage Using IRRAflow® Self-Irrigating Catheter

Cureus. 2021 May 22;13(5):e15167. doi: 10.7759/cureus.15167.

Abstract

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a devastating neurosurgical condition associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. It can occur as the result of several pathologies and typically presents with mental status changes, neurologic deficits, seizures, headaches, and decreased Glasgow Coma Scale score. These patients are often treated with placement of an external ventricular drain, which helps decrease the clot burden; however, they commonly clot off leading to multiple exchanges. We present a case in which drainage, irrigation, and fibrinolytic (DRIFT) therapy using IRRAflow® (IRRAS) irrigating catheter was used to treat a patient with severe IVH secondary to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Keywords: aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage; intraventricular hematoma; medical device technology development and assessment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports