What is a shunt obstruction?

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OBSTRUCTION. Shunt obstruction can be insidious, intermittent, or sudden and presents with clinical deterioration indicative of shunt malfunction. The ventricular catheter may become obstructed by debris, coagulum, or contact with choroid plexus or brain secondary to decreased size of the ventricles.

What happens if a shunt gets blocked?

A shunt blockage can be very serious as it can lead to an build-up of excess fluid in the brain, which can cause brain damage. This will cause the symptoms of hydrocephalus. Emergency surgery will be needed to replace the malfunctioning shunt.

What is a Ventriculoatrial shunt?

Background. Ventriculoatrial shunt (VAS) placement enables cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flow from the cerebral ventricular system to the atrium of the heart. This procedure is indicated for hydrocephalus, which is among the most common conditions encountered in neurosurgical practice.

What are the symptoms of a blocked VP shunt?

What Are Signs of Shunt Malfunction?

Headaches.
Vomiting.
Lethargy (sleepiness)
Irritability.
Swelling or redness along the shunt tract.
Decreased school performance.
Periods of confusion.
Seizures.

Why do shunts clog?

Shunt obstruction Blockage of the distal catheter can occur as a result of body growth (if the shunt was placed during childhood), adhesions within the abdominal cavity, especially when associated with a low grade infection, pregnancy, and occasionally constipation.

What are the different types of shunts?

What are the most common shunt systems?

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts. This type of shunt diverts CSF from the ventricles of the brain into the peritoneal cavity, the space in the abdomen where the digestive organs are located.
Ventriculoatrial (VA) shunts.
Ventriculopleural (VPL) shunts.
Lumboperitoneal (LP) shunts.

What causes shunts to fail?

Shunt malfunction is most commonly due to a blockage or some obstruction within the shunt system. If the blockage is not corrected, symptoms of hydrocephalus will return. In some cases, shunt blockage may require surgery to replace the affected component or components.

How is shunt malfunction diagnosed?

CT and MRI examinations are currently used as reliable methods for diagnosing VP shunt malfunction,[7,8] especially in cases where the ventricular system enlarges again. However, in some patients, the ventricles are fissure-like or not enlarged, and prone to false negatives upon CT and MRI examination.

How many types of shunts are there?

There are two types of CSF shunt valves: fixed and adjustable. Fixed shunt valves allow CSF fluid to drain when CSF pressure exceeds a certain “fixed” threshold. Adjustable shunt valves allow for changes to the amount of fluid that flows through the valve.

How do you treat a blocked VP shunt?

When a shunt infection occurs, the standard treatment is the surgical removal of all of the shunt hardware. An External Ventricular Drain (EVD) is surgically placed to manage the hydrocephalus while the shunt is removed and the infection is being treated.

Why do shunts get blocked?

Shunt Infection In ventriculo-peritoneal shunts the symptoms will often resemble those of blockage. This is because when the shunt becomes infected, the lower catheter is very often sealed off by swollen tissue.

How does a shunt become infected?

The CSF becomes thicker, so it does not flow as well through the shunt. The bacteria can travel and grow in the CSF, causing a type of meningitis infection. The bacteria can travel down the shunt into the abdomen (belly) and cause an infection there.