[Evoked auditive potentials in hydrocephalic neonates]

Auditory evoked potentials were measured in 10 newborn babies who had hydrocephalus of different etiologies. Eight showed abnormal results in the initial study with the most frequent anomaly being an absence of all waves that was unrelated to the postconceptional age. The results changed with time in one case who, after 10 weeks, showed the appearance of waves. Furthermore, in two cases the insertion of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt provoked striking changes consisting of the appearance and normalization of the waves I, III and V latencies.