Unusual complications of Ventriculo Peritoneal Shunt: 15 years experience

Ventriculo-Peritoneal shunt is the most commonly performed surgery for hydrocephalus, universally. Many complications are reported, of which the shunt malfunction and infection are most commonly encountered. These common complications can be minimized, by precautions like ? senior surgeons operating shunt cases, as the first case in the operation, with minimal personnel in the operation and thoroughly scrubbing the part for minimum five minutes. However, in few cases, ? even in the experienced hands and with all precautions, some rare complications like extrusion of the lower end through anus, vagina, into scrotum were described. In our experience of over 15 years, wide range of complications was seen apart from malfunction and infection. Exposure of the part of shunt system, with excoriation of overlying skin, peritubal leaks, disconnection of shunt system with CSF leaking out, loculation in between the loops of bowel/ omentum, extrusion of the lower end through anus etc. were encountered and probable factors for these unusual complications were discussed.