Abdominal Complications in Patients with a Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Abstract

Hydrocephalus is a complex disease. The placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt is a treatment that has been in use since the 1960s. Although in recent years, the development of the endoscopic technique has gained importance in the treatment of hydrocephalus, the use of valves continues to be used. Valves can be associated with different complications. In this chapter, we develop the abdominal complications associated with these devices. Both in patients with abdominal pseudocysts and with intestinal infections or ascites, they should be studied with brain tomography, x-rays of the valvular system, and ultrasound. The first step of treatment in these patients is to define if the valve works correctly or not. The second topic to take into account is the presence of infection associated with the catheter, which is detected by taking a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. The treatment of these valve-associated complications in many cases requires an approach involving multiple specialists, general practitioners, infectious diseases specialists, and general surgeons, among others. In patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt-related abdominal complications, surgical treatment depends on symptom severity and the possible associated infection at the time of diagnosis.