title: Immunoglobulin prophylaxis in shunt infections: a prospective randomized study.
abstract: Cerebrospinal fluid shunt infection is serious and one of the most frequent complications of shunt implantation. Age has been one of the most significant host factors for the development of shunt infections. A relative deficiency of the immune response against bacteria in infants could partly explain the higher infection rate in the very young patients. This prospective-randomized study was conducted in two groups: group A (immunoglobulin group) and group B (control group). There were 30 patients in each group. The patients in group A received intravenous immunoglobulin (Sandoglobulin) at a dose of 1 g/kg in the night before surgery. Each patient was followed up to 6 months. No infection was seen in group A. In group B, infection rate per procedure were 5.1% (P = 0.494) and 6.6% (P = 0.492), respectively. Intravenous immunoglobulin prophylaxis in infants seems to reduce the shunt infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. ersahin@bornova.ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Erşahin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mutluer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kocaman
mesh_terms: D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous