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Round worm migration along ventriculoperitoneal shunt tract: a rare complication
P Agarwal1, S M Malapure, R Gupta
1Department of Paediatric Surgery, T. N. Medical College and B. Y. L. Nair Ch. Hospital, Mumbai - 400 008, India.
Journal of Postgraduate Medicine
|June 16, 2000
Summary
Ascaris roundworm migration along a ventriculoperitoneal shunt tract caused a shunt tract infection in a pediatric patient. This rare complication highlights the importance of considering parasitic infections in shunt-related issues.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Surgery
Background:
- Ventriculoperitoneal shunts are used to treat hydrocephalus.
- Shunt complications are common, but parasitic involvement is rare.
- Roundworm (Ascaris) infections can lead to unusual clinical presentations.
Observation:
- A three-year-old boy presented with symptoms suggestive of shunt tract infection.
- The patient had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in place.
- Diagnostic imaging revealed roundworm migration within the shunt tract.
Findings:
- The case demonstrates an unusual complication of roundworm migration along the ventriculoperitoneal shunt tract.
- This migration presented clinically as a shunt tract infection.
- The findings underscore a rare but significant interaction between parasitic infestation and neurosurgical hardware.
Implications:
- This case highlights the need to consider parasitic infections, such as ascariasis, in the differential diagnosis of shunt tract infections, especially in endemic areas.
- It emphasizes the potential for roundworms to migrate along foreign bodies like shunts.
- Further awareness and diagnostic vigilance are crucial for managing such atypical pediatric neurosurgical complications.