Ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Ventricles of the brain

Craniotomy for cerebral shunt

Overview

Recovery

Risks

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Alternative Names:

Shunt - ventriculoperitoneal; VP shunt

Risks:

Risks for any anesthesia are:

reactions to medications
problems breathing

Risks for any surgery are:

bleeding
infection

Common complications of VP shunt include shunt malfunction or blockage, infection. Malfunction may be related to growth and the shunt will need to be replaced with a longer catheter. Symptoms of shunt malfunction or infection include headache, fever, drowsiness and convulsions.

As with any other brain surgery there is risk to actual brain tissue as the shunt catheter must pass through brain tissue to enter the ventricle. Thus a small but potential risk of brain tissue being damaged and resulting in a neurologic deficit exists.

Review Date: 6/10/2005
Reviewed By: Joseph P. Hart, MD, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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