Risk Factors for Developing Hydrocephalus in Neonatal Intraventricular Hemorrhage
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Updated: Aug 2, 2026

Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus
Published on: October 14, 2022
Gabriel Flores1, Natalie Amaral-Nieves2, Orlando De Jesús1
1University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR; Section of Neurosurgery, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR.
Insights
Severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in premature infants significantly increases the risk of developing progressive posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PPHH). This study identified IVH severity as the primary risk factor for PPHH in Puerto Rican neonates.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Pediatric neurosurgery
- Perinatal medicine
Background:
- Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a common complication in premature infants.
- Over 50% of survivors develop neurological sequelae, including progressive posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PPHH).
- PPHH often necessitates ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunting for treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate risk factors for PPHH in the neonatal population of Puerto Rico.
- To understand the specific associations between PPHH and variables like gender, gestational age, and birth weight.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of neonates diagnosed with IVH between 2013 and 2017.
- Data collected included gender, gestational age, birth weight, IVH grade, and need for VP shunt.
- Statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test and binomial logistic regression.
Main Results:
- The study included 261 IVH survivors; mortality rate was 19.4% and PPHH incidence was 7.7%.
- Gender, birth weight, and gestational age were not statistically significant risk factors for PPHH.
- Infants with severe IVH (grades 3 and 4) were 20 times more likely to develop PPHH.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of PPHH in this Puerto Rican cohort was comparable to other populations, with similar mortality rates.
- The severity of the initial intraventricular hemorrhage is the most significant risk factor for developing PPHH.
- Further research may explore specific interventions to mitigate PPHH risk in severe IVH cases.
Objective:
More than 50% of the premature infant survivors of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) develop serious neurological sequelae, including progressive posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PPHH) requiring a ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt. Little is known about the risk factors associated with the development of PPHH in the neonatal population of Puerto Rico and thus the purpose of this study was to learn more about those risk factors.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective analysis on neonates born from 2013 through 2017 who had been diagnosed with IVH. The data extracted included gender, gestational age at birth, birth weight, IVH grade, and whether the child had required a VP shunt.
Results:
Two hundred and sixty-one survivors of neonatal IVH were included in the study. The overall mortality rate was 19.4%, and the incidence of PPHH was 7.7% (N = 20). The results from the Fisher's exact test for the association between the development of PPHH and the independent variables of gender (p = 0.06), birth weight (p = 0.18), and gestational age (p = 0.21) were not statistically significant. Binomial logistic regression showed that subjects with IVH (grades 3 and 4) were 20 times more likely to exhibit PPHH.
Conclusion:
The incidence of PPHH secondary to IVH was slightly lower in our population compared to such incidence in other populations reported in the literature; however, the overall mortality rate was similar. The only statistically significant associated risk factor for PPHH was the severity of the IVH.
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