Annual Review of Hydrocephalus pp 83-84 | Cite as
Hydrocephalus: Antenatal detection and neonatal neurosurgical management
Abstract
In order to evaluate the structual brain reconstitution and functional recovery, clinical record of an infant presenting hydrocephalus in utero at 31 weeks of gestation and operated immediately after birth was reported. Before the advent of sonography, the diagnosis of fetal hydrocephalus was based on the radiologic demonstration of an enlarged fetal head. With the propagation of B-mode ultrasound imaging in the obstetrical field, pathological ventriculogram could be diagnosed antenatally. In this case, greatly distended hydrocephalic brain regressed completely by continuous cerebrospinal fluid drainage through a miniature Ommaya’s reservoir during early neonatal period and thereafter ventriculoperitoneal shunting at age of four weeks after birth. Also, electroencephalogram at age of 35 days showed improvement as disappearance of high-voltage slow wave on the frontal region and the normal pattern corresponding to his moon’s age. This paper reviewed the current understanding of diagnosis and prognosis of fetal hydrocephalus, and author’s opinions for neurosurgical management early after birth are stated.
