Ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Alternative names:

shunt; shunt - ventriculoperitoneal; VP shunt

Definition:

This surgery is performed to relieve intracranial pressure caused by hydrocephalus. The fluid is shunted from the ventricles of the brain into the abdominal cavity.

Description:

This 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. A pump 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).

Indications:

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. This should be done as soon as hydrocephalus is recognized to give the child the best possible neurological outlook.