Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
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We evaluated whether the presence of lacunar skull deformity (LSD) with myelomeningocele is a predictive factor for subsequent hydrocephalus development. ⋯ Adding to the ventriculomegaly at birth, the presence of LSD alerts to the necessity to monitor these infants closely to determine the necessity for VPS placement.
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Antibiotic-impregnated shunt (AIS) systems have been designed to prevent the colonization of shunt components by skin flora that occurs at surgery. Although such systems may decrease the incidence of early shunt infections (those occurring within 6 months of shunt placement), it is unclear if such exposure to prolonged antibiotics leads to an increased incidence or virulence of late shunt infections (those occurring later than 6 months after shunt placement). In this study, the authors evaluate the incidence of late shunt infection after the introduction of an AIS system in a pediatric hydrocephalus population. ⋯ Although concern exists that AIS systems may delay shunt infections or even increase the rate or virulence of such infections, introduction of such catheters into a pediatric hydrocephalus cohort does not significantly increase incidence of late CSF shunt infection compared to historic controls.