Ulrikke S Wiig1, Sverre M Zahl2, Arild Egge1, Eirik Helseth3, Knut Wester4. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. 2. Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Aalesund Hospital, Aalesund, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine K1, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 3. Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. 4. Department of Clinical Medicine K1, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Neurosurgery, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: kgwe@helse-bergen.no.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Benign external hydrocephalus is defined as a rapidly increasing head circumference (occipitofrontal circumference) with characteristic radiological findings of increased subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid spaces on neuroimaging. The incidence of benign external hydrocephalus has not been previously reported, and there is no available information on the ratio of benign external hydrocephalus in the population of hydrocephalic children. METHODS: This study is retrospective and population-based study, geographically covering two health regions in the southern half of Norway with a total mean population of 3.34 million in the ten-year study period, constituting approximately 75% of the Norwegian population. Children with a head circumference crossing two percentiles, or greater than the 97.5th percentile, and with typical imaging findings of enlarged frontal subarachnoid spaces with or without enlarged ventricles were included. Children were excluded if they had a history of head trauma, intracranial hemorrhage, central nervous system infection, other known causes of hydrocephalus, or were born preterm defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: A total of 176 children fitting the criteria were identified, giving an incidence of 0.4 per 1000 live births. One hundred fifty-two (86.4%) of the patients were male, and mean age at referral was 7.3 months. Increasing head circumference was the main reason for referral in 158 (89.8%) patients and the only finding in 60 (34.1%) patients. Thirty-seven (21%) children had normal ventricles on imaging; the remainder had increased ventricular size. The incidence of pediatric hydrocephalus in Norway is reported to be 0.75 per 1000 live births, thus benign external hydrocephalus accounts for approximately 50% of hydrocephalic conditions in this population. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of benign external hydrocephalus was found to be 0.4 per 1000 live births in this population.
BACKGROUND:Benign external hydrocephalus is defined as a rapidly increasing head circumference (occipitofrontal circumference) with characteristic radiological findings of increased subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid spaces on neuroimaging. The incidence of benign external hydrocephalus has not been previously reported, and there is no available information on the ratio of benign external hydrocephalus in the population of hydrocephalic children. METHODS: This study is retrospective and population-based study, geographically covering two health regions in the southern half of Norway with a total mean population of 3.34 million in the ten-year study period, constituting approximately 75% of the Norwegian population. Children with a head circumference crossing two percentiles, or greater than the 97.5th percentile, and with typical imaging findings of enlarged frontal subarachnoid spaces with or without enlarged ventricles were included. Children were excluded if they had a history of head trauma, intracranial hemorrhage, central nervous system infection, other known causes of hydrocephalus, or were born preterm defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: A total of 176 children fitting the criteria were identified, giving an incidence of 0.4 per 1000 live births. One hundred fifty-two (86.4%) of the patients were male, and mean age at referral was 7.3 months. Increasing head circumference was the main reason for referral in 158 (89.8%) patients and the only finding in 60 (34.1%) patients. Thirty-seven (21%) children had normal ventricles on imaging; the remainder had increased ventricular size. The incidence of pediatric hydrocephalus in Norway is reported to be 0.75 per 1000 live births, thus benign external hydrocephalus accounts for approximately 50% of hydrocephalic conditions in this population. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of benign external hydrocephalus was found to be 0.4 per 1000 live births in this population.
Authors: Juan Sahuquillo; Maria A Poca; Federica Maruccia; Laura Gomáriz; Katiuska Rosas; Turgut Durduran; Fernando Paredes-Carmona Journal: Childs Nerv Syst Date: 2021-05-10 Impact factor: 1.475
Authors: Laura V Sainz; Julian Zipfel; Susanne R Kerscher; Annette Weichselbaum; Andrea Bevot; Martin U Schuhmann Journal: Childs Nerv Syst Date: 2018-11-24 Impact factor: 1.475