Post-Traumatic Hydrocephalus - A Retrospective Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND Post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) can occur as an outcome of moderate and severe traumatic head injury. It is one of the causes of delayed worsening of the early symptoms of head injury. A total of 18 cases of PTH diagnosed and treated at tertiary care hospitals from 2012 to 2015 were studied. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the clinicoradiological profile of patients diagnosed with posttraumatic hydrocephalus and determine the outcome of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting in cases of post-traumatic hydrocephalus. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery in a teaching medical college. The clinicoradiological profile of patients diagnosed with PTH was studied. These cases were treated conservatively as well as by surgery. The demography, cause of trauma, GCS score and response rates were studied. RESULTS Among the 18 reviewed patients, 61.1 % were males, fall and RTA constituted the major cause of trauma. Craniotomy was done in 50 % of the patients, 88.89 % of the patients recovered and the mortality rate was 11.11 %. CONCLUSIONS Post-traumatic hydrocephalus is a consequence of traumatic head injury and can occur with various neurological symptoms after the initial trauma. CT scan of the brain is considered the choice of investigation to early diagnose PTH and the patient outcome after VP shunting is good. KEY WORDS Hydrocephalus, Head Injury, Trauma