Thoracic abscess due to unusual migration of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and literature review

Abstract

Background: Thoracic complications of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) cerebrospinal fluid shunting are rare and the diagnosis is difficult without neurological impairment. Case Description: We report a case of a 36-year-old woman who had a VP shunt in the right side when she was 13 years for a posterior fossa ependymoma and hydrocephalus. 23 years after surgery, she developed acute yellowfish cough and sputum, and the computed tomography scan found an intrathoracic cyst. She had a thoracotomy for the cyst and during surgery, we found the peritoneal catheter of the VP shunt, with a collected abscess in the left side. The patient was treated for the abscess and the VP shunt was removed. We also review the literature cases of thoracic complications after VP shunts. Conclusion: Thoracic abscess due to VP shunt migration is extremely rare and could happen after a long time delay VP shunt surgery.