PP02.7 – 2580: Influence of antimicrobial-impregnated external ventricular catheters on infection rates of preterm infants with posthaemorrhagic hydrocephalus – a retrospective, descriptive analysis

Abstract

Objective The objective of our retrospective study was to evaluate whether the use of antimicrobial impregnated EVDs could decrease the risk of ventricular infection. Methods We included all preterm infants who had developed PHH and were born below the 32nd gestational week and were treated with EVDs between 2001 and 2011. Following variables were evaluated: birth weight, week of gestation, grade of the intraventricular haemorrhage, quantity of catheter revision, quantity of definite ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shuntings, rate of ventriculitis, which was diagnosed only if the liquor showed positive culture results and rate of mortality. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS 20.0 using Mann-Whitney U-test and χ 2 -test. Results 26 patients were treated with EVDs before 2007 (without antimicrobial impregnation, = Group A), 21 patients were treated after 2007 (with EVDs with antimicrobial impregnation, = Group B). Group A: mean gestational weight: 1036 g (±474.209), mean gestational week: 26.7 (±1.80), 2 patients suffered from IVH II° (7.7%), 16 patients from IVH III° (61.5%) and 8 patients from IVH IV° (30.8%), Mortality rate: 57.7%. Group B: mean gestational weight: 1115 g (±494.902), mean gestational week: 27.3 (±2.32), 1 patient suffered from IVH II° (4.8%), 10 patients from IVH III° (47.6%) and 10 patients from IVH IV° (47.6%), Mortality rate: 33.3%. No infection Infection Total Significance EVD without antimicrobial impregnation 21 5 (19.2%) 26 EVD with antimicrobial impregnation 20 1 (4.8%) 21 p=0.150 Total 41 6 47. Conclusion After implementation of antimicrobial impregnated ventricular catheters, there has been a marked decrease of secondary ventriculitis of EVDs from 19.2% to 4.8%.