Shunt
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt is surgery is performed to relieve intracranial pressure caused by hydrocephalus. The fluid is shunted from the ventricles of the brain into the abdominal cavity or in rare instances the pleural space in the chest.
In hydrocephalus, the ventricles of the brain become enlarged with cerebrospinal fluid. This condition causes the brain tissue to become compressed against the skull, thus causing serious neurological problems. Shunting is necessary to drain the excess fluid and relieve the pressure in the brain.
The most frequent treatment is the insertion of a shunt system that diverts the flow of the fluid to a region of the body where it can be absorbed. The system includes a flexible tube, a catheter and a valve.
The shunt procedure is performed in the operating room under general anesthesia. A flap is cut in the scalp and a small hole is drilled in the skull. A small catheter is passed into a ventricle of the brain.
During the shunt proceedure, a pump (valve which controls flow of fluid) is attached to the catheter to keep the fluid away from the brain. Another catheter is attached to the pump and tunneled under the skin, behind the ear, down the neck and chest and into the peritoneal cavity (abdominal cavity).
Shunt systems must be carefully monitored because of the potential for problems and the need for revisions.
Learn more about shunt proceedures and hydrocephalus at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center website.
Shunt
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