Late outcome of the surgical treatment of hydrocephalus.
The purpose of this report is to analyze the long-term outcome in hydrocephalic children treated by shunt placement and in particular their psycho-intellectual development. In the case of shunt placement postoperative mortality is virtually nil, and the overall mortality rate after 10 years of follow-up has been reduced to less than 5%. Morbidity, in contrast, is far from satisfactory. This study was conducted in 129 consecutive children with nontumorous hydrocephalus who underwent a first shunt insertion before the age of 2 years between 1979 and 1982 and who were followed up for at least 10 years. The final neurological examination revealed a motor deficit in 60%, visual or auditory deficits in 25%, and epilepsy in 30%. The final IQs were above 90 in 32% of the children, between 70 and 90 in 28%, between 50 and 70 in 19%, and lower than 50 in 21%. Integration into the normal school system was possible for 60% of the children, but half of them were 1-2 years behind their age group or having difficulties; 31% were attending special classes or were in institutions; and 9% were considered ineducable. The presence of behavioral disorders was a determinant factor for scholastic and social integration. Such disorders were frequent, and were characterized as severe in 30%. A relationship between final outcome and etiology, initial ventricular size, and epilepsy was observed. These results are used as the basis of a discussion on how morbidity might be improved.
Hoppe-Hirsch
E
E
Service de Neurochirurgie Pédiatrique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
Laroussinie
F
F
Brunet
L
L
Sainte-Rose
C
C
Renier
D
D
Cinalli
G
G
Zerah
M
M
Pierre-Kahn
A
A
D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D007223:Infant; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome