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Subarachnoid fluid collections: a cause of macrocrania in preterm infants

S A al-Saedi1, R P Lemke, V D Debooy

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|February 1, 1996
PubMed

Insights

This study followed 12 infants with macrocrania due to subarachnoid fluid collections. All infants showed stabilized head growth and no neurosurgical intervention or developmental delays were needed.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal neurology
  • Pediatric neurosurgery

Background:

  • Macrocrania in infants can be caused by various factors, including subarachnoid fluid collections.
  • Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are particularly vulnerable to neurological complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the neurodevelopmental outcomes of VLBW infants diagnosed with macrocrania secondary to subarachnoid fluid collections.
  • To assess the need for neurosurgical intervention in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case series of 12 VLBW infants.
  • Clinical follow-up to 15-18 months of age.
  • Assessment of head growth, neurosurgical intervention, and neurodevelopmental status (cerebral palsy, mental retardation).

Main Results:

  • Head growth stabilized above and parallel to the 95th percentile in all 12 infants by 15-18 months.
  • None of the infants required neurosurgical intervention.
  • No cases of cerebral palsy or mental retardation were diagnosed.

Conclusions:

  • Subarachnoid fluid collections causing macrocrania in VLBW infants may have a benign natural history.
  • Conservative management appears to be a viable option, avoiding neurosurgical procedures.
  • VLBW infants with macrocrania from subarachnoid fluid collections may achieve normal neurodevelopmental outcomes.

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