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Auditory brainstem response in infant hydrocephalus

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Abstract

Fifteen infants with hydrocephalus ranging in age from 32 to 43 weeks from conception were studied. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) was measured 48 h prior to the placement of a CSF shunt and within 5 days following shunt insertion. Results of this study showed a general improvement in the ABR following placement of the shunt. No consistent patterns were observed that allowed a clear explanation of the cause and effect of the abnormal ABR. However, the changes seen in the ABR are caused by increased CSF pressure, which may compress the transmission fibers, and generators of the ABR producing a type of neuropraxis. Early shunting appears to have a better outcome on the ABR than later shunting.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurosurgery and Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, USA

    David L. McPherson, Ragnar Amlie & Eldon Foltz

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Childrens Hospital of Orange County, USA

    David L. McPherson, Ragnar Amlie & Eldon Foltz

Authors
  1. David L. McPherson
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  2. Ragnar Amlie
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  3. Eldon Foltz
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Additional information

This work was supported in part by grants from the Schulte Research Institute, Santa Barbara, California, the National Foundation March of Dimes and the National Institutes of Health (NS11876)

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McPherson, D.L., Amlie, R. & Foltz, E. Auditory brainstem response in infant hydrocephalus. Child's Nerv Syst 1, 70–76 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00706685

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