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Journal of Pediatric Neurology 2020; 18(06): 297-300
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1715497
Review Article

Long-Term Surveillance and Life-Time Care for Pediatric Patients Suffering from Hydrocephalus

Matthias Krause
1   Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Andreas Merkenschlager
2   Division of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Cynthia Vanessa Mahr
1   Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Matthias K. Bernhard
2   Division of Neuropediatrics, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Ekkehard M. Kasper 
3   Division of Neurosurgery, Hamilton General Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
,
Margit Weißer
4   Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
,
Robin Wachowiak
4   Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Abstract

Even though shunt surgery has been an established and widely accepted treatment for congenital hydrocephalus for five decades, long-term follow-up and functional outcome data are scarce. Based on our experience, we advocate a very rigid follow-up regimen throughout life for every hydrocephalus patient encountered with individual screening intervals not longer than 1 year in childhood and adolescence and surveillance intervals of 2 years in adulthood. A continuous treatment of the patients at the primary institution that performed hydrocephalus surgery provides an optimal setting to be prepared for the detection of adverse events of shunt malfunctioning. However, some patients may still encounter catastrophic events resulting in persistent deficits or death.

Keywords

hydrocephalus - long-term outcome - transition - follow-up


Publication History

Received: 06 March 2019

Accepted: 04 January 2020

Article published online:
27 August 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Stuttgart · New York

 

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