The role of short latency somatosensory evoked responses in infants with rapidly progressive ventricular dilatation

Neuropediatrics. 1990 Aug;21(3):136-9. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1071480.

Abstract

The effect of hydrocephalus on somatosensory evoked potentials was studied in nine infants. An increase in N1 latency was found in five infants studied longitudinally during a period of progressive ventricular dilatation. A marked decrease in N1 latency was noted in 7 infants, within one week following shunt insertion and in two infants who showed spontaneous arrest of ventricular growth. A correlation was found between cerebrospinal fluid pressure and the delay in N1 latency, but the number of infants studied is still small. SEPs appear to be a useful additional test when assessing infants with progressive ventricular dilatation. Once a baseline value for N1 has been obtained following shunt insertion, SEPs may subsequently be useful when assessing a child with possible shunt dysfunction.

MeSH terms

  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / physiopathology*
  • Cerebral Ventricles / physiopathology*
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts
  • Dilatation, Pathologic / physiopathology
  • Echoencephalography
  • Electroencephalography*
  • Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Hydrocephalus / physiopathology*
  • Hydrocephalus / surgery
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Intracranial Pressure / physiology
  • Postoperative Complications / physiopathology
  • Reaction Time / physiology*
  • Somatosensory Cortex / physiopathology