Postoperative persistent fever may be a risk factor for hydrocephalus in hemispherical disconnection surgery

Hemispherical disconnection surgery such as hemispherotomy or posterior quadrant disconnection (PQD) surgery sometimes induces hydrocephalus. We postulated that some risk factors for postoperative hydrocephalus can be managed perioperatively. The purpose of this study was to clarify and statistically analyze perioperative risk factors for postoperative progressive hydrocephalus.

We reviewed patients who underwent hemispherotomy or PQD. We compared patients with and without progressive hydrocephalus with multivariate and univariate logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for hydrocephalus.

Twenty-four patients underwent hemispherectomy or PQD (age: 25 days-45 years old, mean: 13.3 years, median: 8 years, standard deviation: 13.9 years, 14 males). Among them, five patients (21%) required hydrocephalus treatment. Persistent fever was a risk factor for progressive hydrocephalus (multivariate analysis: p = 0.024, univariate analysis: p < 0.001).

Postoperative persistent fever may be a manageable risk factor for postoperative hydrocephalus in hemispherotomy and PQD surgery.