Post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus management: Delayed neonatal transport negatively affects outcome

Post-haemorrhagic ventricular dilatation (PHVD) still represents an important cause of brain injury in premature infants. Intervention for PHVD is recommended once Ventricular Index (VI) crosses the 97th percentile + 4 mm line according to Levene.

We aimed to compare PHVD severity, timing of intervention, and outcome between outborn infants transferred to a level IV NICU in order to be treated for PHVD and a control population of inborn infants.

Preterm infants with PHVD requiring treatment were divided into: outborn infants (transferred to our NICU in order to be treated for PHVD) and inborn infants (PHVD diagnosed at our NICU). Age at intervention, difference between VI and the 97th percentile according to postmenstrual age (VI-p97), permanent shunt rate, and developmental delay rate were compared between the two groups. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales II (VABS-II), a parental questionnaire investigating four domains of adaptive behaviour and overall adaptive functioning. Developmental delay was defined as a score <70 (-2 SD or less).

Twelve outborn and 15 inborn infants were included. Age at intervention (31.6 vs 17.4 days) and VI-p97 (left 10.0 vs 5.1 mm, right 7.7 vs 5.1 mm) were significantly higher among outborn infants. A permanent shunt was inserted in 66.7% of outborn and in 40.0% of inborn infants (p = 0.18). After excluding subjects with parenchymal lesions, a significantly higher rate of developmental delay was observed at 5 years in outborn patients compared to inborn patients (66.7% of outborn vs 18.2% of inborn patients with VABS-II composite score <70, p = 0.04).

Outborn infants reached a significantly more severe ventricular dilatation than inborn infants, largely exceeding the recommended cutoff for intervention. Our follow-up data showed a trend towards a higher rate of permanent shunt and developmental delay in outborn than in inborn patients. Infants requiring treatment should be timely transported to centres with adequate expertise in PHVD management.