Resumen

MOGROVEJO, Estela Erwinovna, PICHILINGUE RETO, Patricia, BAZAN, Quiches et al. Complicaciones en el tratamiento quirúrgico de pacientes pediátricos con hidrocefalia operados en el Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen. Acta méd. peruana, ene./mar. 2011, vol.28, no.1, p.6-11. ISSN 1728-5917.

Objective: To determine the main surgical complications in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus in Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen National Hospital. Material and method: A descriptive case series reviewed the charts of pediatric patients with hydrocephalus who underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt procedure. These patients were between 0 and 14 years old when they had their first surgery. Data was collected in a standardized chart. Statistical significance was established in p<0.05. Results: Approximately one third of patients (35.5%) developed complications. Fifty- four percent had early complications and 45% developed late complications. Causes for complications were: system malfunction, infection and subdural hematoma caused by overdrainage of VP shunts in 54.5%, 27.3% and 18.2%, respectively. Of all patients who developed complications, 54.5% had acquired and 45.5% had congenital hydrocephalus; 72.7% underwent emergency surgery and 27.3% underwent elective surgery. There was a statistically significant association between the origin of hydrocephalus and the development of complications, X2 = 5.387 (p = 0.02).   Conclusions: The frequency of complications after surgical therapy for hydrocephalus was 35.5%. The main cause was system malfunction. These results show that acquired hydrocephalus has a greater likelihood for developing post surgical complications compared to congenital hydrocephalus.

Palabras llave: Hydrocephalus; ventriculo-peritoneal shunt; postoperative complications.