IMMUNOGLOBULIN PROPHYLAXIS IN SHUNT INFECTIONS - A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY

Cerebrospinal fluid shunt infection is serious and one of the most fre quent complications of shunt implantation. Age has been one of the mos t significant host factors for the development of shunt infections. A relative deficiency of the immune response against bacteria in infants could partly explain the higher infection rate in the very young pati ents. This prospective-randomized study was conducted in two groups: g roup A (immunoglobulin group) and group B (control group). There were 30 patients in each group. The patients in group A received intravenou s immunoglobulin (Sandoglobulin(R)) at a dose of 1 g/kg in the night b efore surgery. Each patient was followed up to 6 months. No infection was seen in group A. In group B, infection rate per procedure and infe ction rate per patient were 5.1% (P = 0.494) and 6.6% (P = 0.492), res pectively. Intravenous immunoglobulin prophylaxis in infants seems to reduce the shunt infections.