Surgical management of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in 22 low-birth-weight infants

In order to assess the complication rates of cerebrospinal fluid diversion techniques used at our institution, a retrospective study of the surgical management of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus was conducted from a population of 547 premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from 1987 to 1989. The incidences of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage in the 3 years studied were 44%, 37%, and 27%, respectively. Thirty-nine of the infants developed posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus as determined by serial cranial ultrasonography; 22 required cerebrospinal fluid diversion. During the study period, we began using subcutaneous ventricular reservoirs and a low-pressure Neonatal Shunt (customized device) in infants weighing less than 1500 g at the time of instrumentation. This change in management was associated with a significant reduction (P < 0.005) in the morbidity and mortality compared to the use of external ventricular drainage devices. On the basis of these findings, the use of external ventricular drainage devices was discontinued.