Abstract
Data on 233 children with congenital hydrocephalus who were operated on in our department from 1964 to 1984 were analyzed. The study was started in January 1990 and was based on questionnaire followed by a psychological examination. Thirty-two patients (13.7%) died during the follow-up period. The average number of operations during the observation period was 2.7; in 166 patients (=71.2%) the shunt had to be revised at least once. The reason for revision was a mechanical problem in 79.4% and infection in 15.5%. The psychological evaluation in 115 patients showed a normal performance in 62.8%, while 29.8% had mild retardation, evident in speech impairment and/or impaired speech development, in memory and concentration, in poor intellectual performance and decreased performance in school. Severe retardation was seen in 7.4% of cases. Our results showed that the best outcome can be achieved with early shunt implantation. We did not, however, find any correlation between shunt revision rate and psychological results.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amacher AL, Wellington J (1984) Infantile hydrocephalus: long-term results of surgical therapy. Child's Brain 11:217–229
Ammirati M, Raimondi AJ (1987) Cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections in children. A study on the relationship between the etiology of hydrocephalus, age at the time of shunt placement, and infection rate. Child's Nerv Syst 3:106–108
Choux M, Lena G, Genitori L, Empime E, Riss JM (1988) Shunt implantation: toward zero infection. Child's Nerv Syst 4:181
Gruber R (1979) Zur Therapie des kindlichen Hydrocephalus. Z Kinderchir 31:362–369
Guthkelch AN, Riley NA (1969) Influence of etiology on prognosis in surgically treated infantile hydrocephalus. Arch Dis Child 44:29–35
Halliwell M, Carr J, Pearson A (1980) The intellectual and educational functioning of children with neural tube defects. Z Kinderchir 31:375–380
Kausch W (1908) Die Behandlung des Hydrocephalus der kleinen Kinder. Arch Klin Chir 87:709–796
Payr E (1908) Drainage der Hirnventrikel mittels frei transplantierter Blutgefäße. Bemerkungen über Hydrocephalus. Arch Klin Chir 87:801–885
Pudenz RH (1986) Surgical treatment of hydrocephalus: an update. J Neurosurg Sci 30:19–28
Raimondi AJ, Soare P (1974) Intellectual development in shunted hydrocephalus children. Am J Dis Child 127:664–671
Shurtleff DB, Christie D, Foltz EL (1971) Ventriculoauriculostomy-associated infection, a 12-year study. J Neurosurg 35:689–694
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lumenta, C.B., Skotarczak, U. Long-term follow-up in 233 patients with congenital hydrocephalus. Child's Nerv Syst 11, 173–175 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00570260
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00570260