Neurologic improvement following shunt placement for post-traumatic hydrocephalus in a child

Posttraumatic hydrocephalus: Recent advances and new therapeutic strategies

Background

Hydrocephalus or ventriculomegaly is a condition brought on by an overabundance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricular system. The major contributor to posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) is traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), especially in individuals with occupations set in industrial settings. A variety of criteria have been employed for the diagnosis of PTH, including the combination of neurological symptoms like nerve deficits and headache, as well as an initial improvement followed by a worsened relapse of altered consciousness and neurological deterioration, which is detected by computed tomography-brain imaging that reveals gradual ventriculomegaly.

Aim

In this article, we discuss and summarize briefly the current understandings and advancements in the management of PTH.

Methods

The available literature for this review was searched on various bibliographic databases using an individually verified, prespecified approach. The level of evidence of the included studies was considered as per the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine recommendations.

Results

The commonly practiced current treatment modality involves shunting CSF but is often associated with complications and recurrence. The lack of a definitive management strategy for PTH warrants the utilization of novel and innovative modalities such as stem cell transplantations and antioxidative stress therapies.

Conclusion

One of the worst complications of a TBI is PTH, which has a high morbidity and mortality rate. Even though there hasn't been a successful method in stopping PTH from happening, hemorrhage-derived blood, and its metabolic by-products, like iron, hemoglobin, free radicals, thrombin, and red blood cells, may be potential targets for PTH hindrance and management. Also, using stem cell transplantations in animal models and antioxidative stress therapies in future studies can lower PTH occurrence and improve its outcome. Moreover, the integration of clinical trials and theoretical knowledge should be encouraged in future research projects to establish effective and updated management guidelines for PTH.

Clinical features associated with the development of hydrocephalus following TBI in the paediatric age group

INTRODUCTION

Predictive factors for post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) in adults have been elucidated but remain uncertain for children. We aimed to identify the prevalence of PTH in paediatric patients and identify clinical/radiological factors which may increase the probability of children developing PTH.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of all patients < 16 years old admitted to our unit with traumatic brain injury (TBI) between March 2013 and June 2018, 108 patients in total. Patients were classified as mild (13-15), moderate (9-12) or severe (3-8) TBI based on admission GCS. Three independent reviewers collected data from case notes. CT scans were reviewed for hydrocephalus using Evan's index. Two-tailed Fisher's exact tests with a p value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Median patient age was 7 years, and 65% were males (n = 70). PTH wasn't identified in any patients with mild/moderate TBI (n = 79). In cases of severe TBI (n = 29), three patients developed PTH requiring ventriculoperitoneal shunting (10%; p = 0.02). Radiological features which were significantly more common in the PTH group were intraventricular haemorrhage (p = 0.05) and subarachnoid haemorrhage (p = 0.03). There was also a trend towards a statistically significant association with subdural haematoma (p = 0.07). The need for other neurosurgical procedures, such as fracture elevation and craniotomy, did not increase the probability of developing with PTH (p = 0.08).

DISCUSSION

The prevalence of PTH in our study is 2.7%. Factors which may be associated with a higher probability of developing PTH may include IVH, SAH, severity of TBI, and subdural haematoma. We propose a national prospective multicentre database of paediatric PTH. The data collected on prevalence, presentation, risk factors, and management could guide contemporary management and improve the outcomes of children with PTH.

Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus: Recent advances and new therapeutic insights

Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH), also referred to as progressive ventricular dilatation, is caused by disturbances in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow or absorption following hemorrhage in the brain. As one of the most serious complications of neonatal/adult intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and traumatic brain injury (TBI), PHH is associated with increased morbidity and disability of these events. Common sequelae of PHH include neurocognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, and growth impairment. Non-surgical measures to reduce increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in PHH have shown little success and most patients will ultimately require surgical management, such as external ventricular drainage and shunting which mostly by inserting a CSF drainage shunt. Unfortunately, shunt complications are common and the optimum time for intervention is unclear. To date, there remains no comprehensive strategy for PHH management and it becomes imperative that to explore new therapeutic targets and methods for PHH. Over past decades, increasing evidence have indicated that hemorrhage-derived blood and subsequent metabolic products may play a key role in the development of IVH-, SAH- and TBI-associated PHH. Several intervention strategies have recently been evaluated and cross-referenced. In this review, we summarized and discussed the common aspects of hydrocephalus following IVH, SAH and TBI, relevant experimental animal models, clinical translation of in vivo experiments, and potential preventive and therapeutic targets for PHH.

Posttraumatic Hydrocephalus as a Confounding Influence on Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Incidence, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To describe incidence, clinical characteristics, complications, and outcomes in posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) for patients treated in an inpatient rehabilitation program.

DESIGN

Cohort study with retrospective comparative analysis.

SETTING

Inpatient rehabilitation hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients admitted for TBI from 2009 to 2013 diagnosed with PTH (N=59), defined as ventriculomegaly, delayed clinical recovery discordant with injury severity, hydrocephalus symptoms, or positive lumbar puncture results.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary measures were incidence of PTH and patient and injury characteristics. Secondary measures included frequency and timing of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, related complications, emergence from and duration of posttraumatic amnesia (PTA), Rancho Los Amigos Scale (RLAS) score, and FIM score at rehabilitation admission and discharge.

RESULTS

Of 701 patients with TBI admitted, 59 (8%) were diagnosed with PTH. Of these, the median age was 25 years, with 73% being men. At initial presentation, 52 (88%) did not follow commands. Fifty-two (90%) patients with PTH had a VP shunt placed. Median time from injury to shunt placement was 69 (range, 9-366) days. Seven (12%) patients with PTH experienced postsurgical seizure, 3 (6%) had shunt infection, and 7 (12%) had shunt malfunction. Thirty-six (61%) patients with PTH emerged from PTA during rehabilitation. Median total FIM score at rehabilitation admission was 20 (range, 18-76), and at discharge it was 43 (range, 18-118). Injury severity predicted outcome at rehabilitation admission, whereas shunt timing predicted outcome at rehabilitation discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Incidence of PTH was observed in 8% of patients with TBI in inpatient rehabilitation. Earlier shunting predicted improved outcome during rehabilitation. Future studies should prospectively examine clinical decision rules, type, and timing of intervention and the coeffectiveness of rehabilitation treatment on outcomes.

Chronic hydrocephalus and alcohol abuse in a young male suicide

The paper describes a case of suicide in a young man affected by compensated chronic hydrocephalus who was subject to alcohol abuse. The case was studied by means of a complex set of analyses, including circumstantial and clinical data, anatomohistopathological findings, and chemicotoxicologic tests. What clearly emerges in the case is the importance of a continuing neuropsychological follow-up in patients with shunted hydrocephalus. The forensic interest in the case is due to the peculiar autopsy findings discussed in relation to the possible causes of sudden death in subjects with hydrocephalus.

Hydrocephalus, ventriculomegaly and the vegetative state: a review

The revised guidelines from the Royal College of Physicians make it clear that structural problems such as hydrocephalus should be excluded before the diagnosis of vegetative state (VS) can be made. Ventriculomegaly is common after severe head injury but the distinction between atrophy and potentially treatable hydrocephalus cannot be made on the basis of conventional computerised tomographic (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scanning alone--physiological measurements of intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) outflow resistance may be helpful. These techniques are reviewed together with the limited literature available that documents the effect of CSF diversion on outcome in "vegetative" patients.