Background: The aims of this study were to determine the ten-year outcome of hydrocephalic children, both in terms of academic results, social skills, physical functioning and surgical morbidity and mortality.
Material and methods: A cohort of 128 children shunted for hydrocephalus at the National Hospital in Oslo between 1985 and 1988 were retrospectively analysed by registering their medical records and in a questionnaire survey.
Results: We found that 23 (18%) children died during the ten-year observation period. Six patients died from shunt system failure, ten died from their malignant tumour, six died of their complex cerebral malformations and one died of unknown cause. Of the 105 (82%) children still alive, 104 returned our questionnaire. 92 (88%) reported to be attending a normal school, while 77 (74%) are in the same grade as children of similar age. Of those children at same grade level, 39 (51%) needed extra tutoring, while 35 (45%) reported speech and writing difficulties. Among children not in their adequate grade level, 25 (93%) (p < 0.01) needed extra tutoring, and 23 (85%) (p < 0.01) reported speech and writing difficulties. 50 (48%) participate in physical exercise along with the other children, while 53 (51%) report having normal social relations with children of the same age. 34 (33%) has suffered from epileptogenic seizures, while 24 (23%) daily use prescribed antiepileptic drugs. During the ten-year follow-up period, 108 (84%) patients had a total of 342 shunt revisions. We found no correlation between high incidence of revisions and negative long-term outlook. 99 out of the 105 children alive are considered to be life-long dependent of their shunt system.
Interpretation: The vast majority of the children shunted for hydrocephalus that are still alive, have a good or satisfactory level of functioning ten years after their first shunt insertion. This view seems to be shared by the parents of these children, of whom 50 (48%) state that the development of their child has been "very good" compared to what they initially feared.