Severe progressive late onset myelopathy and arachnoiditis following neonatal meningitis.
This case series describes four children who had meningitis in the neonatal period. After a stable period of years, they developed a myelopathy caused by chronic arachnoiditis. The myelopathy was precipitated by a fall in two cases, and in two cases there was an acute deterioration after surgery. A history of neonatal meningitis should be taken into consideration before planning surgery or anaesthesia. Careful intra-operative positioning, immobilisation of the neck, and maintenance of blood pressure is important but may not prevent this complication.
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Hospital Road, Pendlebury, Manchester M27 4HA, UK. cdegoede@doctors.org.uk
Christian G E L
CG
de Goede
Philip E
PE
Jardine
Paul
P
Eunson
Shelley
S
Renowden
Peta
P
Sharples
Richard W
RW
Newton
D000293:Adolescent; D001100:Arachnoiditis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications*; D020814:Meningitis, Escherichia coli / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt