| Abstract: | This prospective study documents the incidence, clinical features and risk factors for post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) as well as the short-term outcome after serial CSF taps. Serial real-time ultrasound scans were performed on 220 infants: on all admissions less than or equal to 1250 g and on an additional 130 infants with birthweights greater than 1250 g with risk factors for intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH). Based on percentile charts of postnatal increase in ventricular size and head circumference growth rate, PHH was defined as ventricular dilatation greater than 95th centile associated with either a head circumference growth greater than 95th centile or with clinical features of raised intracranial pressure (ICP). Forty-eight (22%) infants were found to have IVH of whom 14 had intracerebral extension of IVH. Sixteen (40%) of 40 infants who survived the acute episode of IVH developed PHH. PHH occurred more commonly in those who survived severe birth asphyxia and/or intracerebral extension of IVH. Fifteen infants who developed clinical features of raised ICP were treated with serial CSF taps. This procedure was effective in a staged treatment for PHH in relieving clinical symptoms and deferring ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunting. Morbidity associated with serial CSF taps and VP shunting is minimal. A high red cell count and protein concentration in the CSF at diagnosis of PHH identified all five infants who subsequently required VP shunting. |
