Causes prevention and management of subcutaneous hydrops after craniotomy of posterior cranial fossa in children

Abstract

Objective To analyze the causes of subcutaneous hydrops following operation on lesions in posterior cranial fossa and discuss how to prevent and cure it.Methods The clinical data of 34 children who underwent neurosurgical operation for posterior cranial fossa lesions between July 2003 and December 2008 were analyzed retrospectively.Results Out of 34 posterior cranial fossa operations, 8 subcutaneous hydrops were identified.Higher rates of subcutaneous hydrops were associated with incomplete dural closure (6/12 vs 2/22) and the development of postoperative hydrocephalus (4/6 vs 4/28). The differences were statistically significant( P＜0.05). There was also a trend towards higher occurrence in cases with skull defect (4/11 vs 4/23), although it didn't reach statistical significance(P＞0.05). The use of subdural drainage seemed to be not associated with subcutaneous hydrops (P＞0.05). Conclusion Incomplete dural closure and postoperative hydrocephalus are main reasons of subcutaneous hydrops following operation on lesions in posterior cranial fossa in children, which can be prevented by a watertight dural closure and treatment of postoperative hydrocephalus effectively. Key words: Children; Posterior cranial fossa; Subcutaneous hydrops; Complication