Resumo

DIAZ ALVAREZ, Manuel et al. Infection of ventriculoperitoneal shunt in newborns with hydrocephaly. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2008, vol.80, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3119.

INTRODUCTION. In hydrocephalic patients, infection is one of the most frequent shunt complications and it presents an elevated morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this paper was to identify the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of the infection of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt in hydrocephalic infants. METHODS. The indicators of morbidity and mortality were determined and others characteristics of the infection of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt were also identified in 74 hydrocephalic newborns admitted in the Neonatology Service of "Juán Manuel Márquez" Children University Hospital (1992-2005). RESULTS. There were 27/74 hydrocephalic newborn infants operated on with infected shunts (rate of 36.5 %). In 48.1 % of the cases, the infection was caused by Staphylococcus aureus; there were no significant differences as to sex, but they were remarkable as regards stay (p < 0,01). There were 4 deaths, 3 of them were infected (mortality was 5.4 x 100 operated on patients, and lethality was 11.1 x 100 infected patients). CONCLUSIONS. Approximately a third of the hydrocephalic newborn infants suffered from infection of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt that is mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Survival from infection is predominant, but it is very severe.

Palavras-chave : Infection; hydrocephaly; newborns; ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

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