Chronic calcified subdural empyema, a rare, long-term complication following ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion: A report on two cases

Abstract

Chronic calcified subdural empyema is an extremely rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The authors report two consecutive cases of chronic calcified subdural empyema, which are bilateral for the first one and unilateral right for the second one, occurring respectively 10 years and 16 years after placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The diagnosis was made during surgery, and the operation was successfully performed by a wide bilateral burr hole for the first case and a right unilateral one for the second. These cases highlight the late morbidity of ventriculoperitoneal shunting and the need for prolonged and regular follow-up in children who have undergone this procedure.

Keywords

• Empyema
• Chronic
• Calcified
• Subdural
• Ventriculoperitoneal shunt