AN EVALUATION OF THE EPILEPTOGENIC PROPERTIES OF A RIFAMPICIN CLINDAMYCIN-IMPREGNATED SHUNT CATHETER

A process has been developed by which ventriculoperitoneal hydrocephal us shunts, which are prone to bacterial colonisation, can be impregnat ed with antimicrobials in order to confer antibacterial activity. Conc ern that their use might be associated with an increased risk of posto perative seizures has been addressed here. Using two rat models, namel y pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and maximal electroconvulsive seizure (ECS) thresholds, the possible epileptogenic characteristics of the shunt c atheters were determined. Animals implanted with impregnated catheters exhibited no significant difference in PTZ seizure threshold compared with controls. In contrast, the ECS threshold test showed an enhancem ent in seizure susceptibility in the non-impregnated catheter group, i n accordance with that found in human subjects, but a significant redu ction in the impregnated catheter group at 2 and 28 days, postoperativ ely. These data suggest that the use in human subjects of shunts impre gnated with these antimicrobials will not increase the risk of postope rative seizures.