Clinical significance of monitoring anterior fontanel pressure in sick neonates and infants.
The intracranial pressure was monitored via the anterior fontanel, using a noninvasive technique, in 78 acutely ill, 39 normal term, and 6 normal preterm infants. In normal term and preterm infants the anterior fontanel pressure (AFP) was 10.2 +/- 0.4 and 9.5 +/- 0.8 cm H2O, respectively. Infants with hyaline membrane disease had elevated pressure (13.3 +/- 0.6 cm H2O), which was higher than that of normal preterm infants. Following an episode of intracranial hemorrhage in four infants, the AFP increased to 26.2 +/- 2.5 cm H2O. Elevated pressure was noted in infants with meconium aspiration syndrome (24.1 +/- 1.8 cm H2O); the pressure decreased during the phase of recovery (15.6 +/- 3.5 cm H2O). Elevated pressure was noted in infants with meningitis and hydrocephalus. Repeated measurements helped to diagnose shunt obstruction in an infant with hydrocephalus.
D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D006801:Humans; D006819:Hyaline Membrane Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001239:Inhalation; D007427:Intracranial Pressure; D008470:Meconium / Q000502:physiology; D008581:Meningitis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D013577:Syndrome