Management of ventriculoperitoneal shunt complications in children: A review of 34 cases.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to analyse the demographics of the children who presented with ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) complications. The secondary objectives were to review the clinical characteristics, surgical procedures performed for the management of VPS complications and the final outcome. Materials and Methods: This is a single-institution observational study that included children below 12 years of age who required VPS revisions during the study period. Results: During the study period of 10 years, n = 336 VPS catheters were implanted for the treatment of hydrocephalus in children. Forty (11.90%) children developed various VPS complications and required VPS revisions in the follow-up period. A total of n = 30 (8.92%) children (n = 21 boys and n = 9 girls) were selected/recruited for the present study, and they required n = 34 revision procedures. The mean interval from VPS insertion to the diagnosis of the complication was 7.29 months. VPS complications that required revisions occurred in the following order of frequency: (1) VPS catheter, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or shunt tract infection n = 8 (2.38%); (2) malfunction of distal VPS catheter n = 7 (2.08%); (3) coiling of distal VPS catheter at abdominal area n = 6 (1.78%); (4) extrusion of VPS catheter n = 5 (1.48%); (5) CSF leak from abdominal wound site/umbilicus n = 4 (1.19%); (6) malfunction of ventricular catheter n = 3 (0.89%) and (7) CSF pseudocyst peritoneal cavity n = 1 (0.29%). Surgical procedures were performed for the treatment of abovementioned complications in the following order of frequency: (1) revision of distal VPS catheter n = 14 (4.16%), (2) removal of entire VPS catheter ± external ventricular drainage (EVD) n = 7 (2.08%), (3) distal VPS catheter converted as EVD n = 6 (1.78%), (4) revision of proximal VPS catheter n = 3 (0.89%), (5) revision of entire VPS catheter n = 3 (0.89%) and (6) CSF pseudocyst excision n = 1 (0.29%). This study also documented n = 2 (6.6%) deaths during the post-operative period. Conclusion: VPS insertion done for the treatment of hydrocephalus in infants and children was associated with various complications. Seventy per cent of the complications occurred within the first 6 months after the VPS insertion. Two-thirds of the complications were related to the distal VPS catheter.

Migration of the distal ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter into the stomach with or without trans-oral extrusion: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intra-gastric migration of the distal ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) catheter clinically presenting with or without trans-oral extrusion is one of the rare complications of VPS catheter insertion. AIM: To identify the demographics, clinical presentation, clinical findings, and results of surgical therapy offered for the treatment of intra-gastric migration of the distal VPS catheter, clinically presented with or without trans-oral extrusion. METHODS: An online search was performed for the extraction/retrieval of the published/ available literature pertaining to the above-mentioned VPS complication. Manuscripts were searched from PubMed, PMC (PubMed Central), ResearchGate, and Google Scholar databases using various terminology relating to the VPS complications. The first case of migration of a VPS catheter into the stomach was reported in the year 1980, and the data were retrieved from 1980 to December 2022. Cases were categorized into two groups; Group A: Cases who had migration of the distal VPS catheter into the stomach and clinically presented with trans-oral extrusion of the same, and Group B: Cases who had migration of the distal VPS catheter into the stomach, but presented without trans-oral extrusion. RESULTS: A total of n = 46 cases (n = 27; 58.69% male, and n = 19; 41.3% females) were recruited for the systematic review. Group A included n = 32, and Group B n = 14 cases. Congenital hydrocephalus was the indication for the primary VPS insertion for approximately half of the (n = 22) cases. Approximately sixty percent (n = 27) of them were children ≤ 5 years of age at the time of the diagnosis of the complication mentioned above. In seventy-two percent (n = 33) cases, this complication was detected within 24 mo after the VPS insertion/last shunt revision. Clinical diagnosis was evident for the entire group A cases. Various diagnostic modalities were used to confirm the diagnosis for Group B cases. Various surgical procedures were offered for the management of the complication in n = 43 cases of both Groups. In two instances, intra-gastric migration of the distal VPS catheter was detected during the autopsy. This review documented four deaths. CONCLUSION: Intra-gastric migration of the peritoneal end of a VPS catheter is one of the rare complications of VPS catheter implantation done for the treatment of hydrocephalus across all age groups. It was more frequently reported in children, although also reported in adults and older people. A very high degree of clinical suspicion is required for the diagnosis of a case of an intra-gastric migration of the distal VPS catheter clinically presenting without trans-oral extrusion.

Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Disconnection, Shunt Migration, and Silent Bowel Perforation in a 10-Year-Old Boy.

A 10-year-old boy was admitted with chest wall infection around the implanted ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) catheter of 5 days. He had received a right-sided, medium pressure, whole-length VPS for hydrocephalus, following tubercular meningitis at the age of 3 years. Seven years, 9 months following VPS implantation, he was admitted with shunt tract infection at the chest area for 5 days. He had neither fever nor features of meningitis, raised intracranial pressure, or peritonitis. His clinical examination and radiological investigations revealed that the VPS catheter was disconnected at the cranial site, and it was migrated downward up to the upper chest. He was managed well with the removal of the entire VPS catheter. The removed peritoneal catheter along with the shunt chamber was loaded with fecal matter and was presumed that the peritoneal catheter was within the colon. His postoperative recovery was excellent. This is a rare case of VPS catheter disconnection, shunt migration, and silent bowel perforation by peritoneal catheter, and all the above-mentioned complications were detected in a child at the same time and were managed well with the removal of the entire VPS catheter.

Review of the Management of Peroral Extrusion of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Catheter.

INTRODUCTION: Peroral extrusion of peritoneal part of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt (VPS) catheter is an extremely rare complication following VPS implantation. AIM: To review the options available for the management of peroral extrusion of VPS catheter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Medline, PMC (PubMed Central), Embase, Google scholar databases search was performed to retrieve the published/available data relating to the peroral extrusion of VPS catheter. The keywords employed were "peroral extrusion of ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter", "transoral extrusion of ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter", and "oral extrusion of ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter". The maiden description of peroral extrusion of VPS catheter was reported in the year 1987, and the data relating to peroral extrusion of VPS were retrieved from that period to June 30, 2016, and those were available in English literature. RESULTS: Twenty-two published manuscripts (n) were available on the topic relating to peroral extrusion of VPS catheter. All were cases and were included for the review. This review included n=10; 45.45% male and n=12; 54.54% female. All of them were reported in children below 12-year of the age, except two case reports in adult that occurred at the age of 27-year and 47-year, respectively. Overall, the mean age at the time of peroral extrusion of VPS catheter was 6.94 ± 10.87 years. The interval from VPS insertion or last shunt revision to the occurrence of peroral extrusion of VPS catheter ranged from 10-days to 10-year, with a mean of 20.31 ± 28.37 months. More than two-third (n=15; 68.18%) of the case occurred within one-year of VPS insertion/last shunt revision. Clinical diagnosis was obvious in all the cases due to peroral extrusion of VPS catheter. The site of perforation by the VPS catheter was stomach in 15, jejunum in 1, diaphragm/trachea in 1, while the site of bowel perforation was not mentioned in 5 cases. Surgical procedures opted by authors in order of frequency were: (a) removal of entire VPS catheter n=5; (b) removal of entire VPS catheter, and delayed re-VPS n=5; (c) removal of peritoneal catheter with or without External Ventricular Drainage (EVD), and revision of peritoneal catheter n=3; (d) removal of peritoneal catheter, with or without EVD, and VA shunt n=3; (e) removal of peritoneal catheter, EVD and delayed re-VPS n=2; (f) removal of entire VPS catheter, EVD and delayed re-VPS n=2; (g) removal of peritoneal catheter, EVD and others n=2. Two deaths are also reported during the management of peroral extrusion of VPS catheter. CONCLUSION: Peroral extrusion of peritoneal part of VPS catheter is an extremely rare complication following VPS insertion, and most frequently observed in children, although also reported in adults. In more than two-third of the cases it occurred within one-year of the VPS placement or last shunts revision, so a close follow-up is a must during this period following VPS placement. Management of such a case depends upon many factors such as presence or absence of shunt tract infection, peritonitis, meningitis, and cerebro spinal fluid infection.

Mature Teratoma at Left Lumbar Region in an Infant: A Case Report.

Common location of teratomas in children are sacrococcygeal, gonadal, mediastinal and retroperitoneal, but teratomas may also occur at very unusual locations. A six-month-old boy presented with a large swelling at his left lumbar region. He presented with gradually increasing lump at his back, involving more on left lumbar region and midline since birth. Clinical examination revealed a solitary, non-tender, soft to firm, irregular mass, occupying more on his left lumbar and midline region and also crossing the midline. Radiological investigations revealed a well defined mass of 9.6 x 7.5cm, with bony elements and spina bifida at L1 and L2 levels. His Computed Tomography (CT) scan finding was consistent with mature teratoma. Complete surgical excision of the tumour was done without any difficulties. Histology of the excised tumour was conclusive of mature teratoma. His post-operative period was excellent, but he lost to follow-up after discharge.

Giant Solitary Ileal Polyp Presenting as an Intussusception in a 10-year-old Boy.

This is a case report of a 10-year-old boy who presented with features of acute intestinal obstruction. Clinical examination revealed distended abdomen, visible bowel loops, and a lump in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Clinically, the diagnosis of intussusception was suspected and confirmed on sonography examination. Exploration of the abdomen revealed ileo-colic intussusception. Manual reduction of intussusception was possible except the last part that had an intraluminal solitary polyp (3 × 4 cm) occupying the 3/4th of the lumen of the terminal ileum. Segmental resection of the ileum containing polyp was done, and the ileal continuity was restored with ileo-ileal anastomosis. His post-operative recovery was uneventful. Histologically, it was consistent with the inflammatory intestinal polyp without any evidence of malignancy.

Trans-anal protrusion of ventriculo-peritoneal shunt catheter with silent bowel perforation: report of ten cases in children.

Ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunting used in the treatment for hydrocephalus is associated with several complications. Mechanical failure of shunt is the commonest complication of all. Visceral/bowel perforation is an unusual but serious complication of VP shunting. This article reports our experience in the management of ten children who had VP Shunt catheter protrusion from anus. This is a retrospective study of ten patients who had VP shunt catheter protrusion from anus, admitted in the department of paediatric surgery between Jan 1996 and Dec 2005. The records of above ten cases were reviewed for their clinical presentation and management, etc. We had performed 398 VP shunt operations in the last 10 years. Two hundred and seventy one (68.09%) VP Shunts were done for congenital hydrocephalus of which 164 were done in infancy/neonatal period and 107 VP shunts were done in the age group of >1-12 years. One hundred and twenty-seven (31.90%) VP shunt operations were done for patients who had hydrocephalus as a complication following tubercular meningitis (TBM). Out of 398 VP shunts, ten patients (2.51%) had protrusion of the distal end of peritoneal catheter from anus without causing/leading to peritonitis. We observed a 08.29% mortality of all VP shunt operations. Protrusion of VP shunt catheter per rectum can occur without producing peritonitis. Formal exploration and localization of entry of VP shunt catheter in bowel is not mandatory. Mini laparotomy and revision of peritoneal part of shunt can be done if there is no shunt infection.