Developmental outcome of very low birth weight infants requiring a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt.

All infants of less than 1,500 g birth weight who required a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt were followed for developmental problems over the 1st year of life. There were 19 infants; 2 died within the 1st postoperative week. At 1 year of age corrected for prematurity the mean Bayley Mental Developmental Index was 62 +/- 23.0, and the mean Psychomotor Developmental Index was 61 +/- 19. Only 2 infants attained scores greater than 85 on both scales, while an additional 2 infants attained a score of greater than 85 on one scale. It is concluded that ventriculo-peritoneal shunting procedures performed after progressive ventricular enlargement has taken place are not likely to result in normal development of the infant less than 1,500 g birth weight.