title: Application of the Ommaya reservoir in the treatment of hydrocephalus in prematurely born children: correlation with animal results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraventricular hemorrhage occurs in almost one fifth of prematurely born children. Due to present complications, such as hydrocephalus and neurological deficit, it endangers the child's life, therefore there is the need for understanding and prevent risk factors as well as the need for finding most optimal methods of treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to point out the current therapeutic modalities of the treatment of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in prematurely born children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 60 patients divided into two groups of 30 patients treated at the University Children's Hospital of Belgrade in the period 2003-2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment outcome of the control group of patients treated by standard methods was influenced by gestational age (p=0.024), head circumference on birth (p = 0.043), body mass on birth (p = 0.006), Apgar score on birth (p < 0.001), peripartum asphyxia (p < 0.001), cardiorespiratory arrest (p < 0.001), respiratory distress (p = 0.002) and intraventricular hemorrhagic grade (p < 0.001). As statistically significant predictors of the poor treatment outcome of the experimental group of patients treated by using Ommaya reservoir were identified: low body mass on birth (p < 0.05), low Apgar score (p < 0.05), prolonged number of days on assisted ventilation (p < 0.05), presence of peripartum asphyxia (p < 0.05) and cardiorespiratory arrest (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No statistically significant difference was detected in the outcome between the patients treated by the standard method and those with installed Ommaya reservoir. However, the difference of 10% in mortality between the two groups may be clinically significant so that further studies of larger samples are necessary.
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Miljan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mihajlović
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mrdak
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Radlović
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nikolić
authors.forename: Miodrag
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rakić
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Repac
authors.forename: Vaso
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Antunović
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janićijević
authors.forename: Vuk
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sćepanović
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tasić
authors.forename: Sinisa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ducić
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000151:congenital / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt