BACKGROUND Prosthetic infections are a major problem, requiring complex and lengthy management. The role of blood proteins in the pathogenesis of implant infection has been investigated, but research into the role of CSF protein in shunt infections has not been undertaken, even though a high CSF protein has been assumed to increase the risk of such infections. METHODS New shunt catheters were...

Acetazolamide (ACTZ), a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, has been shown to decrease cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production in both in vivo and in vitro animal models. We report two children with hydrocephalus who experienced multiple shunt failures, and who had externalised ventriculostomy drains (EVD) prior to ventriculopleural shunt placement. The effects of increasing doses of ACTZ on CSF product...

The objective was to assess CSF dynamics of different shunt constructions in patients with adult hydrocephalus syndrome and correlate these findings to clinical outcome, neuroradiology, and the specifications of the shunts provided by the manufacturer. Thirty four patients with idiopathic adult hydrocephalus (normal pressure hydrocephalus) syndrome were included in a prospective, consecutive ca...

Eighteen patients (mean age of 66.5 years) with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt surgery. Prior to operation a cerebrospinal fluid tap-test (CSF-TT) was performed with measurements of gait pattern and psychometric functions (memory, visuo-motor speed and visuo-constructive skills) before and after the removal of 50 ml CSF by lumbar puncture (LP). Fifte...

1049 procedure, the patient developed fever (38°C), lethargy and neck stiffness. Analysis of ventricular CSF revealed 105 white cells/mm 3 (90% of the white cells were neutrophils), a glucose level of 23 mg/dL (glucose level in the blood: 106 mg/dL) and protein of 119 mg/dL. Microscopic examination of the Gram staining showed yeast and no other microorganisms. Cultures were positive for C. albi...

OBJECT The aim of the study was to analyze the outcome of surgical treatment for posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in premature infants. METHODS From 1990 to 2006, 32 premature infants underwent surgical treatment for posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus, and their charts were retrospectively reviewed to analyze the complications and outcome with respect to shunt revisions. Multivariate analysis and tim...

External cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage is an effective method to remove massive subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but carries the risk of meningitis and shunt-dependent hydrocephalus. This study investigated whether postoperative cisternal CSF drainage affects the incidence of cerebral vasospasm and clinical outcome in patients with thin SAH. Seventy-eight patients with thin SAH, 22 men and 5...

BACKGROUND Meningitis causes substantial morbidity and mortality in hospitalized infants. There is no consensus on the ability of blood cultures to predict results from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures in hospitalized infants. METHODS We used the Pediatrix Medical Group database of infants discharged from 333 neonatal intensive care units between 1997 and 2011. We identified all infants wit...

A case of E. coli meningitis in a patient with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt was encountered recently at our institution . A shunt-induced bowel perforation was demonstrated by injecting contrast material percutaneously into the proximal end of the shunt. Apparently, retrograde spread of normal bowel flora via the shunt was responsible for his unusual Gram-negative meningitis. Because of the dis...

Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus I read with great interest the article by Scollato et al entitled “Changes in Aqueductal CSF Stroke Volume in Shunted Patients with Idiopathic Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus.” In this study, the authors investigated whether there is a relationship between clinical outcome and changes in aqueductal CSF stroke volume (ACSV) in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure ...