Repeat fracture of shunts in ventriculoperitoneal shunting with pelvic migration: An African teen case report with literature review

Abstract

Ventriculoperitoneal shunting is the most common procedure performed to cure hydrocephalus. It is also the most failure prone. Mechanical late complications as shunt fracture or shunt migration are fairly often common in childhood. Mostly described in worldwide Literature, both complications in a case remain strongly rare in African papers, as well as the isolated shunt fracture.A 15-year-old boy, previously thrice operated, was admitted for apyretic convulsions, intracranial high pressure and thoracic tumescence. Radiological findings were of a thoracic shunt fractured and calcified with pelvic migration of 2 different peritoneal catheters dilating the bladder. We proceeded of a laparoscopy removal of distal drains in pelvis combined with the ablation of calcified broken shunt and ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision, with uneventful evolvement.The existence of calcifications and/or the average lifespan of shunts are useful for a closer follow-up of children hydrocephaluses cared by ventriculoperitoneal shunting.

Keywords

• Hydrocephalus
• Ventriculoperitoneal shunt fractured/migration
• Shunt failure