Related Experiment Videos
Ventriculopleural shunting used as a temporary diversion
C D Willison1, T A Kopitnik, R Gustafson
1Department of Neurosurgery, West Virginia University Hospital.
Acta Neurochirurgica
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Ventriculopleural shunts offer a temporary solution for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion in pediatric patients when other methods fail. This case study demonstrates successful CSF management in a young child using pleural shunts for one year.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Neurological Surgery
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Ventriculopleural shunts are typically avoided in young children due to the pleural cavity's limited absorptive capacity.
- Alternative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion methods were contraindicated in this patient.
Observation:
- A young child required temporary CSF diversion due to non-communicating hydrocephalus.
- Previous surgeries resulted in cervical scarring, and peritoneal access was complicated by pseudocyst formation.
Findings:
- Chest cavities were utilized as an alternative site for temporary CSF diversion using ventriculopleural shunts.
- Pleural effusions required management via thoracentesis and shunt repositioning to the contralateral chest.
- This approach successfully temporized hydrocephalus for one year.
Implications:
- Pleural shunting can be a viable temporary CSF diversion strategy in pediatric cases with contraindications for standard procedures.
- This method provided a crucial interim solution, enabling a one-year delay until a definitive CSF management procedure was performed.