[Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt in the treatment of schizencephaly with infantile spasm: report of one case].
Schizencephaly is a rare congenital cerebral malformation, which usually produces static neurological symptoms. Occasionally, mass effect on the schizencephalic cavity may cause progressive neurological deficit. Surgical intervention is, therefore, needed to relieve the increased intracranial pressure. This article presents a 7-month-old girl who had suffered from right hemiparesis since birth, and head nodding of four weeks' duration. A brain CT revealed a cleft, along the left Sylvian fissure, which communicated with the lateral ventricle. The septum pellucidum was absent. Midline structures had shifted to the right hemisphere. The CT finding was consistent with a diagnosis of schizencephaly with mass effect. The infant received a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt operation. At postoperative follow-up which has continued for eight months, no further head nodding, an improvement of hemiparesis and psychomotor development were noted.
Chiang
L M
LM
Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Huang
S C
SC
Wei
C P
CP
D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000601:surgery; D013036:Spasms, Infantile / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*