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Late Complications of Shunts

Book cover Textbook of Pediatric Neurosurgery

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Abstract

Extra-thecal shunting of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) remains the primary treatment option for pediatric hydrocephalus, despite the rate of failure in children is higher than adults, with significant medical and social burden.

Although the majority of shunt revisions occur during the first 6 months after shunt placement and may be accordingly classified as early failures, the risk of shunt malfunction persists through the entire life of the patient.

In cases of late complications, clinical onset and symptomatology vary according to the functionality of the shunting device. In fact, we may further distinguish late complications due to the failure of the shunt and a second category of complications occurring despite a correctly working shunt. The former group includes all the complications related to the nature of the shunting device as a foreign body, further classified as infectious or mechanical.

The latter group includes complications related to the function of the shunting device and the subsequent chronic drainage of CSF, affecting either the CSF receiving site, for example, ascites and hydrocele for VP shunt and cor pulmonale and nephritis for VA shunt, or the intracranial compartment, namely, the acquired craniocerebral disproportion (ACCD) and the slit ventricle syndrome (SVS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Neurosurgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Catholic University Medical School, Largo A. Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy

    Paolo Frassanito & Simone Peraio

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, International Neuroscience Institute, Hannover, Germany

    Concezio Di Rocco

Authors
  1. Paolo Frassanito
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  2. Simone Peraio
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  3. Concezio Di Rocco
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paolo Frassanito .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. International Neuroscience Institute, Hannover, Germany

    Concezio Di Rocco

  2. Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, California, USA

    Dachling Pang

  3. University of Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    James T. Rutka

Section Editor information

  1. Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, International Neuroscience Institute, Hannover, Germany

    Concezio Di Rocco

  2. Pediatric Neurosurgery, Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University Medical School, Largo “A. Gemelli”,8, 00168, Rome, Italy

    Gianpiero Tamburrini

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Frassanito, P., Peraio, S., Di Rocco, C. (2018). Late Complications of Shunts. In: Di Rocco, C., Pang, D., Rutka, J. (eds) Textbook of Pediatric Neurosurgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31512-6_34-2

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Late Complications of Shunts
    Published:
    04 May 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31512-6_34-2

  2. Original

    Late Complications Following Surgical Treatment of Hydrocephalus
    Published:
    14 July 2017

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31512-6_34-1

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