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External ventricular drains: is there a time limit in children?

Basem A Khalil1, Zaid Sarsam, Neil Buxton

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital, UK. Kba_bas@hotmail.com

Child'S Nervous System : Chns : Official Journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
|February 11, 2005
PubMed

Insights

External ventricular drains (EVDs) in children do not have a set time limit for use. EVDs can remain in place as long as clinically necessary, provided strict handling protocols are followed to prevent infection.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Infectious Disease Control

Background:

  • The duration of external ventricular drain (EVD) use in pediatric patients is a subject of ongoing debate.
  • Concerns exist regarding potential infection risks associated with prolonged EVD placement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether a time limit exists for the safe use of external ventricular drains (EVDs) in children.
  • To determine the relationship between EVD duration and the incidence of infection.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 46 EVDs in 28 pediatric patients over a 4-year period.
  • Review of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters including white cell counts, Gram stains, and culture results.

Main Results:

  • No specific time limit was identified for EVD use in the studied pediatric population.
  • Infection rates were not found to be directly correlated with the duration of EVD placement within the observed period.

Conclusions:

  • External ventricular drains (EVDs) can be safely used in children for extended periods as clinically indicated.
  • Adherence to strict protocols for handling EVDs is crucial for minimizing infection risks, regardless of duration.
Abstract

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