Pathogenetic variants of ventriculitis in children

Abstract

The aim of the study: to analyze the pathogenetic structure of ventriculitis, their relationship with age, risk factors, study the etiological characteristics, clinical and diagnostic features, evaluate outcomes of ventriculitis and features of mortality.Materials and methods: a retrospective analysis of inpatient medical charts of 72 children with ventriculitis received treatment in the neurosurgery department of Filatov Children hospital №5, St-Petersburg, from January 2008 to December 2017 was carried out.Results: Most cases of ventriculitis occurred in infants (up to 1 year) and young children (1-3 years old). The largest group among pathogenetic variants of ventriculitis was shunt infection – 50 (69.44%) cases. Other groups were: ventriculostomy-associated ventriculitis – 12 (16,67%) cases; ventriculitis following a neurosurgical procedure without external ventricular drainage – 6 (8,33%) cases; ventriculitis complicated meningitis in patients without prior neurosurgery – 4 (5,56%) cases. The presence of such risk factors for ventriculitis as cerebrospinal fluid leakage (18,06%), intraventricular blood prior to the development of ventriculitis (22,22%), and other systemic infections (59,72%) were noted. The crucial role in the diagnosis of ventriculitis is played by the inflammatory changes in the ventricular cerebrospinal fluid on the background of specific clinical findings and indicative anamnesis. The commonest organism causing ventriculitis in the study was Staphylococcus epidermidis – 24 (33,33%) patients. Ventriculitis mortality rate was 8,33% (6 cases). Analysis of adverse outcomes revealed that aggressive health-care-associated multidrug resistant organisms are more dangerous for life, especially in patients with severe central nervous system pathology prior to ventriculitis.