ASSOCIATIONOF CRANIAL ULTRASOUND FINDING WITH CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF COMPLICATION OF NEONATAL MENINGITS AT FELEGE HIWOT HOSPITAL

Abstract

Background: Meningitis is the acute inflammation of the meninges, subarachnoid space, and brain vasculature resulting from infection. Regardless of etiology, meningitis in neonates can progress rapidly to serious acute complications. Apart from laboratory tests, cranial sonography is the first modality used for diagnosing as well as detecting early and late complication of neonates and infants with suspected bacterial meningitis. In our hospital cranial ultrasound (CU) is done for every neonate with meningitis.

Objectives: To determine the association of cranial ultrasound finding with clinical presentation of early complication of neonatal meningitis at Felege hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Bahir Dar.

Method: A retrospective study that employed document review. Neonates were grouped in to two, Group I: neonates with no clinical feature of complication, Group II: neonates with clinical evidence of complication.

Result: A total of 83 neonates with a diagnosis of meningitis for whom cranial ultrasound were reviewed. Of these 43(51.8%) were males. The most common clinical presentation was increased head circumference in 11(57.9%) and bulged fontanel in 10 (52.6%) of neonates. CU was normal in 69 (83.1%) and abnormal in 14 (16.9%) of neonates. The commonest indication
for CU was screening 64 (77.1%), and the remaining 19 (22.9%) neonates had clinical features of complication of meningitis. The most common complication of meningitis was hydrocephalus 13 (92.8%).

Conclusion: Abnormal CU finding is high in neonates who had early signs of complication of meningitis