Chronic hydrocephalus that requires shunting in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage [a-SAH]: its impact on clinical outcome

• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-211-85578-2_26
• Publication Date: 2009-05-05T07:47:00Z
• Authors: W. S. Poon; S. C. P. Ng; G. K. C. Wong; L. Y. C. Wong; M. T. V. Chan
• Keywords: Shunting; Glasgow Outcome Scale; Grading (engineering); Communicating hydrocephalus; Subarachnoid haemorrhage; Clinical Significance

Chronic hydrocephalus is a common occurrence following aneurismal subarachnoid haemorrhage [a-SAH] but its impact on neurological outcome has not been re reviewed systematically.One hundred and eleven patients were recruited from a prospectively collected a-SAH registry over a 3-year period between 2002 and 2004. Their 6-month extended Glasgow Outcome Scale [GOSE] scores were correlated with routine clinical data and the need for CSF shunting [chronic hydrocephalus that required shunting, CHS].Thirty patients with CHS were identified and they were associated with an initial poor WFNS grading [median 4 versus 2, p = 0.028]. Among patients with poor WFNS grading, CHS was associated with a better GOSE [median 4 versus 2, p = 0.041] and among patients with good WFNS grading, CHS paradoxically was associated with a poor GOSE [median 3.5 versus 7, p = 0.016].The relationships between CHS and GOSE in a-SAH were complex. Their true clinical significance requires a more in-depth prospective study.